A 30-year connection to Gerard
Brent Henry began his career at Gerard Academy in 1973 at the Mason City campus, working part-time on the overnight shift.
"I've had a fortunate career here," Henry paused. "I hope it's not done yet," he added laughing.
Gerard's then Clinical Director Dick Hardin, although not Henry's direct supervisor, served as a mentor to him early on in his career, teaching him many of the things that remain a part of his philosophy today.
"He taught me to create [an environment] that engages kids, and
not to sit back and wait for stuff to happen. Also, you need to engage
people if you're going to affect somebody's life," said Henry.
His relationship with Hardin defined how he should manage Gerard
Academy-with their type of connection and investment.
After 16 years working on the Mason City campus, Henry transferred to
the Austin campus in 1989 to manage the group living program. The Austin
campus was suffering financially, and morale was low. He became the program
director and remained in that position until Nexus purchased Gerard in
2001, naming Henry the executive director.
Doing double duty
In early 2004, Henry was asked by Nexus to serve as the interim executive
director for the Mason City campus while continuing to serve as the executive
director for the Austin campus.
"Mason City was in trouble, and we needed someone who could improve morale and pull the program back into shape," said Nexus CEO Jim D'Angelo. "I knew Brent had 'grown up' professionally on that campus and would be the perfect director while we tried to figure out what needed to be done with the program on a long-term basis."
"In residential treatment, assessing priorities and dispatching
the correct amount of energy and resources to address those priority issues
is essential," explained Patrick Rookey, vice president of clinical
operations. "If priorities are assessed incorrectly or the
energy and resources are not dispatched at the correct level, you end
up trading one problem for another. Henry, along with his associate directors,
was able to masterfully manage this balancing act on both of the Gerard
campuses for almost three years."
Despite the locations of Austin and Mason City in two different states an hour apart, Henry never hesitated when he was asked to take on the challenge of running both of the campuses, and that, he says, is because of leadership. "Leaders instill within others not only a sense of mission and purpose but a willingness to follow them into combat if necessary. They instill a sense of loyalty. Dick Hardin was that kind of leader for me, as was Joe Endres (the founder of Gerard) and now Nexus CEO Jim D'Angelo."
Henry appreciates the trust Nexus' corporate office extended to him, not only in originally hiring him as the executive director in Austin, but also in asking him to lead both campuses. "Jim gave me a chance that others might not have given me," he said.
Henry never complained in the nearly three years he managed both campuses,
nor did he ever ask how long he would continue to do double duty. "Backed
by a good team in Austin and key staff in Mason City, Brent not only kept
the show on the road, but built two new buildings, improved clinical services,
expanded census and
readied the Iowa program for its eventual sale to Four Oaks," said
D'Angelo. "Brent demonstrates the kind of dedication and commitment
that sets our organization apart from many of its peers. He is clearly
one of our best and brightest."
Renewed energy
Now that Henry is back exclusively at Gerard Academy, he can focus on
growing the two new programs for young children, and he returns with a
renewed energy and a strong sense of purpose and direction for the campus.
"I want to ensure that we do not maintain the status quo in our quality,
but instead move forward and grow."
Throughout the last 30 years of working at Gerard Academy, Henry has remained grounded and committed to the principles that have always guided him.
"Leadership is about mission, commitment and loyalty-and fun. It's
not about titles. It was fun for me to be involved again in Mason City
and help with its transition to Four Oaks, and it was an honor and privilege
to have the opportunity."
E-mail Brent Henry at brenth@nexus-gerard.org to learn more about what's happening this year at Gerard Academy. Also, you view online tours of the campus and its programs.