Name: Cory Pittman
Hospital/Health System you serve: Hemphill County Hospital District
Hometown: Canadian, TX
Occupation: Environmental, Health and Safety Manager
Family: Wife Elizabeth and two daughters Addison 10 and Ainsley 7
Hobbies/Interests: Helping with my kids sports and 4-H projects, being outdoors doing anything just enjoying nature.
As a Board Member
What has been most rewarding during your board service? I enjoy volunteering my time. Being able to serve the community that I work and live in has been very rewarding.
What has been the most challenging issue for your board? Being a Hospital District, setting the tax rate every year is always the hardest decision to make on the board. Trying to grow the district without putting a financial burden on the community.
What has been the biggest surprise during your board service? How people tend voice their opinions on social media but will not make the effort to be present at a meeting to voice their concerns during the public comment section.
What was your/your board’s proudest moment? Being able to grow and provide more for the county, since I have been on the board, we have added an assisted living, senior living, rural health clinic and expanded our EMS Service.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a board member? How important a rural hospital is to a community. We are one of the largest employers in the county and without the hospital the residents would have to drive 1-2 hours to get services.
What are your board’s priority areas for 2023? Being a rural hospital district, we are always looking for ways to add services to benefit the residents of Hemphill County, so they don’t have to travel to get care. Also, I’m always looking for ways to increase revenues so we can keep our tax rate as low as possible.
Why did you choose to become a Certified Healthcare Trustee? I do not have a background in healthcare and when I join an organization, I try to give it 100%. Becoming a CHT just seemed like a logical choice to learn more and represent our Hospital District.
About Me
My background: I grew up in Canadian, TX attended West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX. I double majored in Environmental Science and Geology. My wife and I meet at college. We moved to Canadian after graduation. I never really thought I would end up back in Canadian after college, but it continues to be a great place to work and raise a family.
My childhood ambition: Paleontologist or Game Warden
My favorite person: I always wanted to meet Nolan Ryan. I always thought it would be fun to sit next to him and watch a Ranger game.
Last place I traveled: We are beach people, this last year we went back to one of favorites: Destin, Florida.
What are you currently reading? Stories from Texas: Some of Them Are True, by W.F. Strong. I actually got this book when he spoke at the THT Conference several years ago and just now getting around to reading it.
My favorite place in Texas: This is probably the hardest question to answer on the entire profile. I love the Gulf Coast and the Hill Country. Really as long as you are in Texas you can go wrong but if I had to choose, I would say Palo Duro Canyon State Park.