David Chumley

David Chumley said he jumped at the chance to return to Arkansas and work for the American Red Cross Blood Services, Greater Ozarks-Arkansas Region as its chief executive officer in 1993.

Years earlier, the 51-year-old native Arkansan had moved to Texas to continue his education. After bouncing from hospital to hospital in various states as an administrator, Chumley was offered the American Red Cross position, which gave him a chance to “help improve the health care needs of people in Arkansas.”

When he arrived at the nonprofit organization, he found it in critical condition.

It was constantly losing money and had low blood denotations and high turnover.

But that started to change after Chumley took over.

Chumley turned around the organization that collects blood donations and provides blood and blood products to 70 hospitals in Arkansas, southwest Missouri and Memphis.

By the late 1990s, the nonprofit was in the black. The turnover rate, which had been about 45 percent in the early 1990s, now is at 18 percent with about 300 employees.

The revenue started to rise as well. Between 1999 and 2003, revenue jumped 76 percent from $19.3 million to $34 million.

Chumley said his management philosophy is to be an example and inspire the staff with the organization’s primary mission, which is to provide the people in the community with blood and blood products.

He also likes to recognize employees on their birthdays and anniversary dates with a card and a handwritten note.

Away from work, Chumley is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church, where he teaches Sunday school. He also has been the president of the Arkansas Health Executive Forum and received the organization’s outstanding service award in 2002.

For the future, Chumley said he wants to continue to grow and develop as a leader in the American Red Cross.