BIO: Mary Sweet was born on May 27, 1953 in Winfield, but was only there three days. Growing up, her military family lived all over the world. When they settled down, they came back to Kansas to be near family. She received an associate’s degree in business from Hutchinson Community College.

Sweet has been the administrator for the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital for seven years.

“I manage a critical health hospital,” said Sweet. “Our hospital was destroyed and we’re in the process of moving forward.”

The hospital was temporarily relocated to mobile army surgical hospital tents after an EF-5 tornado leveled 95 percent of Greensburg in May 2007. Several of the tents have been replaced with trailers until a new hospital is completed.

Sweet said the new building would be environmentally responsible as part of the effort to rebuild Greensburg as a “green” community. She projects the hospital construction will be done in early 2010.

“We’re in that planning stage now,” Sweet said. “As we rebuild the hospital, we’re rebuilding our community, too. I love Greensburg. I’m glad we’re rebuilding.”

Prior to being the hospital’s administrator, Sweet did a variety of jobs for the Great Plains Health Alliance, an organization that manages member hospitals and health care facilities in Kansas including the Kiowa County hospital. She has held several health care jobs including X-ray technician, administrative assistant and was a member of the ambulance service.

Sweet has four children and five grandchildren.

RESPONSIBILITIES: “Just to manage the hospital. I’m mainly a resource to my managers,” said Sweet referencing the managers who run the departments within the hospital.

Right now, another large part of her job is working on the new hospital plans.

She’s been working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the reconstruction project.

“FEMA’s been wonderful,” she said. “FEMA’s been great to work with.”

Additionally, she is the intermediary for the hospital and the Great Plains Health Alliance.

INTERCONNECTS: Sweet is a member of the Kansas Hospital Association’s education council, emergency preparedness technical advisory group and the strategic planning committee. She is also a Boy Scout leader in Greensburg. Sweet is a former member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield advisory board.

CONTACT: Telephone: 620-546-6037 (cell)

E-mail: msweet@kcmh.net

Address: 700 W. Kansas Ave.

Greensburg, Kansas 67054

Source: Mary Sweet