View This Issue - Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce

a few minutes
with
Carlton
Ulmer
On August 1,
Gulf Coast
Medical
Center welcomed the arrival of their new
Chief Executive Officer, Carlton Ulmer,
who brings 16 years of healthcare administration
experience to the role. Gulf Coast Medical Center
is a 176-bed acute care hospital that serves Bay and surrounding
counties and has been recognized by Thomson Reuters as
one of the nation’s Top 100 hospitals. The hospital recently
broke ground on a $30-million expansion that includes the
area’s first Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the area’s only Level
lll Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and a new Intensive Care
Unit. The project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of
2013. “Gulf Coast Medical Center has an exciting future as a
leader in providing healthcare services for Northwest Florida,”
says Carlton. “I am confident we will build upon past
successes well into the future.”
Most recently serving for six years as Chief Operating Officer at
Redmond Regional Medical Center in Rome, Georgia, Carlton’s
prior experience includes serving as COO at Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga,
TN, and in service line administrator roles at Tulane University Hospital and Clinic in
New Orleans, LA. While a COO is primarily focused on the daily operations within the
four walls of the hospital, he clarifies, the CEO is focused on developing relationships with
community leaders and working collaboratively with medical staff to further the hospital’s
mission. He is engaged with the community, and guides the direction of the hospital
within the community it serves.
Pictuered Top: Carlton with his family, Christmas
2011. Above: First day of school in Panama
City Beach, August 2012. Opposite page:
With Dawson and Logan at Ironman Florida
2004, Carlton’s first of five Ironman’s.
Carlton feels that Panama City has a similar
cultural feel to Rome, as well as academic
and healthcare similarities. “Panama City
seems close-knit,” he observes. There’s a
lot of rich history, as local physicians and
leaders return back to their home town
after going away and working elsewhere –
similar to Rome. Rome is now on its 7th
generation of physicians who have gone off
to school and returned back to the city to
continue their medical practices.” Rome,
he notes, has been recognized as the #1
Most Livable Small City in the Southeast,
based on recreation, business conditions,
education, healthcare, and government.
Carlton relocated to Panama City Beach
with his family consisting of his wife of 19
years, Lisa (who has a marketing and social
Interview by Marta Rose
work background), his older son Logan, 14
(who just started 9th Grade at Arnold High
School), younger son Dawson, 13 (who just
began 8th Grade at Surfside), and daughter
Julia, 6 (who just started 1st Grade at
Patronis). “Anytime you’re making a move,
you’re looking for circumstances that lead
to being the right fit, not just professionally
but from a residential standpoint,” he says.
“Faith, family and work are my priorities,”
he says. “I look forward to joining the Gulf
Coast Medical Center family, and becoming
a part of the Panama City community. Relationships
are important, whether it’s your
relationship with God, family, community
or work. Our family has always been active
in our church and we look forward to finding
a new church home.”
Other new activities will most likely include
involvement with a local Rotary.
Carlton has a large appreciation for Rotary’s
vision, and has been an active Rotarian for
many years, serving in three different clubs.
He has also been very active with chambers
of commerce wherever he lives, most
recently serving as vice-chair on the board
28 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012