WILLMAR -- The top administrators for Rice Memorial Hospital, the Willmar School District and the city of Willmar all went through initial interviews and public votes by the respective governing boards before being appointed or as part of a process that led to their current positions.
Lawrence Massa
With 700-plus employees and gross annual revenue of more than $90 million, Rice Memorial Hospital is the city of Willmar's largest service. Its top position opened up in 1992 when longtime administrator Hans Dahl announced he was retiring. Dahl had run the city-owned hospital for 29 years.
The Hospital Board spent more than a year contemplating how to replace him. First the board considered bringing in an outside management company -- a controversial move that was rejected after strong opposition arose from both hospital employees and the public. Then the board decided to restructure its top management to better reflect the growing complexity of the hospital industry.
A search firm from Minneapolis was brought in to help identify two dozen prospective candidates. The field was narrowed to a dozen semi-finalists, and then to two finalists, whose names were publicly announced in October of 1993. The day-long interviews of both finalists included meetings with the Hospital Board, medical staff, an administrative panel, the Willmar mayor and city representatives.
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Shortly afterward, the Hospital Board voted at a public meeting to offer the position to Massa.
Once he accepted the position, his employment contract was reviewed by the city attorney and by the Willmar City Council Labor Relations Committee before being approved. Massa officially began his duties as the new Rice CEO at the beginning of 1993.
Kathy Leedom
Kathy Leedom, who now serves as Willmar Schools superintendent, was hired by the School Board as assistant superintendent in June 1994 under Orlo Almlie, who was serving as superintendent at the time.
When Almlie retired in 1996, the School Board had a public interview process with five candidates that included Leedom. Eventually Darrold Williams was named superintendent in May 1996.
In the third year of his first contract, Williams proposed a transition period during which he would retire as superintendent on Aug. 1, 2000, and move into a human resources role, and Leedom would be promoted to superintendent. The agreement was negotiated by the board's Labor Committee and Williams.
The proposal was approved by the school district's attorney and presented to the School Board on Nov. 11, 1998, almost two years before the change would take effect.
According to a story published in the Tribune about that meeting, "School board chairman Michael Reynolds announced the transition plans at the group's meeting Wednesday night. He and board member Richard King negotiated the contracts, which they explained and submitted for the board's approval. Members approved the agreements unanimously and applauded the decision."
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Michael Schmit
Michael Schmit has worked his way up the promotion ladder to his present position as city administrator during 32 years of service to the city of Willmar. He began in 1974 as administrative assistant to City Clerk Richard Hoglund. In 1975, Schmit served as redevelopment specialist for the Willmar Housing and Redevelopment Authority. From 1976 through mid-1977, he was community development coordinator and an HRA consultant. In 1977, he was named HRA executive director.
In 1984, Schmit was one of seven people who applied for the position of city clerk-treasurer when Hoglund announced he would retire from that position at the end of 1984. A committee interviewed three finalists and Schmit was selected. He began the position on Jan. 1, 1985.
In 1990, the City Council created a new position of city administrator by city ordinance, which required a public hearing. The position was created to provide better coordination of administrative and management activity.
During a later public meeting, the council appointed Schmit to the position of administrator. There was no interview process. During a public meeting, the council appointed deputy clerk Kevin Halliday to the position of clerk.
-- Staff Writers Anne Polta and David Little contributed to this story and compiled information using Tribune archives.
