Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board, Northern District 1: Jim Meister

Age: 80

Career: Retired CEO of Kings Super Markets (New Jersey); Former board member of Sygen International, Oxford, England.

Public office experience: Hospital board member since 2015; Member of Board of Governors of Friendship Senior Center.

Why do you want to serve on the hospital board?

I have been on the board of SMH since June of 2015 and running for the third time. I believe serving our community is the right thing to do. I am running for election to continue to play a role in the growth of SMH, achieve our mission of quality, caring and innovative medicine. 

If elected, what do you believe should be the top priority of the board during your term?

SMH is a public hospital being held responsible and accountable to our citizens and patients and not shareholders. Our growth over the past several years with the opening of Venice, our eight-story cancer institute and our building a new behavioral health center is something all of our SMG associates can be proud of. 

Do you consider basic health care a right? 

I believe we should continue to provide the best quality care to all citizens of Sarasota County.