County Commissioners Meet New High Plains CEO

Eric Niemeyer, New High Plains Community Health Center CEO

Eric Niemeyer, the new Chief Executive Officer of High Plains Community Health Center, was introduced to the Prowers County Commissioners by outgoing CEO Jay Brooke during the commissioner’s Tuesday meeting, November 24^th.  Niemeyer, who hails from Casper, WY, was hired by the board of directors of HPCHC earlier this month and is gaining knowledge about the facility while working alongside Brooke during the transition.   Brooke leaves at the end of this year, ending a 20 career with the Center after having been, until this transition, its only Chief Executive Officer.  Brooke added his thanks for the support the county has shown to the Center.  “When we built the building in 2001 the county sponsored the grant that paid for all the equipment for that building.  The county has always worked very closely with us over the years and we really appreciate that,” he said.

Commissioners Present Brooke with Certificate of Appreciation

The commissioners presented a certificate to Brooke to reflect a recent honor bestowed to him for his years of service to community health issues, the Stanley J. Brasher Legacy Award  which is presented to people for outstanding work and commitment in the field of health.  Commissioner Chairman, Ron Cook, thanked Brooke for the work he and the Center has done for local residents for the past two decades.

Niemeyer said he’s excited about the move from Wyoming and is in the process of moving his family, his wife and three of his four children to Lamar.  “Our oldest son is attending college in Casper and will be staying in Wyoming,” he explained.  Niemeyer added that all four of his children are adopted from different birth parents and range in ages from 19 down to six for his youngest, his daughter.

He said he has eight years’ experience in the financial aspect of running health centers as a CFO for three other health centers.  He also recently finished attaining a law degree.  He told the commissioners that patients will always be the top priority at the Center, adding, “Jay has created and built a wonderful legacy and foundation and I plan to do all I can to continue that.”  Commissioner Henry Schnabel said he’d like to see the great cooperation among the county’s health care fields continue and perhaps expand.  “That’s something that’s been very important to me,” he added.  Niemeyer explained that he intends to send out feelers in the community to see what some of the particular health needs are and do the best he can to fulfill them.

By Russ Baldwin