Since it is my sincere desire to do something that will greatly improve our health care system, I would like to nominate myself as a candidate for the Community Leadership Council.

Although I have been retired as an active pharmacist, I have a strong desire to redo our defunctive health care system. For over 50 years I have seen our system become one that caters inefficiently to some and poor care for many.

My over 50 years pharmacy experience has been as a community pharmacist, both as a small pharmacy owner for over 18 years, and as an employee pharmacist for the remaining time. This allowed me to be in close contact with my patients on a one to one basis. With the domination of third party payers, insurance companies and HMO, I saw a breakdown of our ability to get good health care for our families.

Upon retiring, in 1997, I felt that my experience warranted that I become a member of the San Luis County Health Commission. The Commission advised the County Supervisors as to health problems and possible solutions to these problems. I served on this Commission for the full term of four years.

Since I felt a need for a more active position, I was certified as a Long Term Care Ombudsman in September 1999, visiting nursing homes as well as smaller health care facilities. I continued to serve until my wife and I moved to Oregon in December 2004.

After moving to Medford I again applied and was certified as a Long Care Term Ombudsman in Oregon in May 2006. I served in that capacity until January 2008.

Having this as my background, I am very interested in the Archimedes Movement which involve citizens to help develop an effective health care system to replace the broken one we now have.