By Nikki McCoy
Retirement is bittersweet. It takes courage to exit the workforce – eager for a future of no alarm clocks and extended vacations, yet mourning the loss of a career.
It can be especially tricky for individuals that make a huge impact in the community. Ones that change lives, change policies, and change minds.
Enter John Masterson, CEO of Behavioral Health Resources (BHR). With branches in Thurston, Mason, and Grays Harbor counties, BHR provides a broad array of inpatient and outpatient mental health programs, housing, specialty and addiction recovery programs.
After 15 years of service, Masterson is hanging up his hat and grabbing his paddle.
“I’ve been accused of being a bit of an adrenaline junky,” admits Masterson. “My hobbies have included backpacking, alpine climbing, soccer and whitewater rafting. Each of them provides some fitness benefit and some respite, intertwined with moments of adrenaline rushes.
“In my post retirement years, I intend to continue each of these, although my pace is slower today. Nevertheless, being outdoors and enjoying what nature has to offer is a gift I will always want to enjoy,” he adds.
But before celebrating Masterson’s retirement, it’s important to discuss his involvement with BHR, to recognize his accomplishments, and reflect on a career well-done.
Masterson joined BHR in September 2000, after 21 years in hospital administration work (eight at Providence St. Peter Hospital and 13 at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California). Masterson says he was encouraged to look at CEO opportunities, as he and his family wanted to stay in Olympia.
“BHR caught my attention,” he says. “I had some experience with the public mental health system due to my responsibilities as Assistant Administrator at Providence St. Peter Hospital. It turned out to be a great opportunity in a sector of the healthcare field that both captured my interest and was a good match for my skills.”
A good match, indeed. Since joining BHR, Masterson has brought the agency from 120 employees with outpatient and prevention services, to more than 400 employees. And an excerpt from a press release reads:
“During his (Masterson’s) tenure, BHR moved into clean and safe offices on Martin Way, grew from a two county provider to serving three counties, began providing inpatient care in 2005, implemented an electronic health record, operated and built housing units now numbering more than 70, and partnered with Valley View Health Center to provide accessible primary medical care services on BHR’s Olympia campus.”
These are impressive feats, and colleagues of Masterson’s speak to what his commitment means to them.
Lowell Gordon, who has served as a volunteer on the BHR Foundation Board since 2009, says, “John takes his responsibilities very seriously. He is one of the most professional individuals I know and always seems to remain positive during difficult times.”
“John has been such a positive influence in this community for so many years,” Gordon, who owns The Creative Office, continues. “He is leaving very big shoes to fill and we will miss him.”
Another BHR Foundation Board member, Beverly Masini, has know Masterson since the early 90s, when they worked together at Providence St. Peter Hospital. They also became active in church together, and Masini says they became very good friends. After chuckling about how he is always the level-headed one, when she gets worked up over things, she softens her voice to speak of his core values.
“He’s a very caring person,” she says. “He fully embraces what the mission of BHR is…He is definitely respectful of all people. He believes a mental health system that is accessible and provides quality care is paramount to a healthy community. He’s very much an advocate for the folks that need that kind of care.”
She also echoes Gordon’s comments and says, “John is probably one of the most positive people I have ever met – he is positive in the face of absolutely everything. I’m happy for John; it will be a challenge to fill his shoes.”
The respect is mutual, and Masterson comments on his departure.
“I have come to know the staff and volunteers at BHR as an incredibly committed and talented team of people who see their work with clients and families more as a calling than a job,” he says. “They serve individuals in some of their most vulnerable conditions. They do this with respect for their dignity and, too often, without the recognition for the value you add to each of their lives or to the communities in which we live and work. I am humbled by their commitment and honored to have served alongside them.
“The past 15 years at BHR have been an amazing experience. I recently stumbled upon a sign that said, ‘Life is not a beach; it is a mountain.’ I like this metaphor in part because I love mountains and in part because it more accurately represents the challenges and opportunities (ridges and valleys) of life that all of us – clients, staff and volunteers – travel through. My journey with BHR has provided both challenges and opportunities beyond any I could have anticipated or hoped for. I am grateful for both. Each makes me appreciate the other more fully.”
For more information on BHR’s services, please visit www.bhr.org.
