Decades of Service 

By Madison Loethen 

In 1976, the population of Columbia was approximately 60,000, Jimmy Carter was elected president, Star Wars had just started filming, the Apple Computer company was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and Environmental Health & Safety Manger Randy Gay and Director of Support Services Myrl Frevert both began working at Boone Health. After nearly a half century, both announced that they will be retiring in the new year.  

Randy will have worked at Boone Health for 48 years, and Myrl will have worked at Boone for 48 years and 8 months.  

“I never could catch up to him,” Randy jokes.  

Myrl was hired as a part-time file clerk while attending Columbia College. He joined Boone County Hospital full-time when a Payroll position opened up. He became Payroll Manager, Information Systems (IS) Operations Manager, IS Programming Manager and then Director of Support Services. Throughout his career, he also served as interim manager or director of Transcription, Central Services, Patient Transport and Supply Chain.  

Myrl says his favorite memories include the expansion projects he oversaw, especially the $100 million expansion project from 2006 through 2012 that included a renovated Labor & Delivery unit with a dedicated operating suite; William Street parking garage and pedestrian bridge; an oxygen and medical gas farm; and the grand opening of an eight-story patient tower. Now known as the south tower, the new addition included 128 private rooms designed to promote patient safety and comfort; an updated Intensive Care Unit; a new location for Laboratory Services; and green building features like a rooftop solar panel and rain-harvesting tank to collect water for campus landscaping. 

“This was the largest group of construction projects I had ever been associated with and the largest project in Boone Health’s history,” Myrl said. “Best of all it was under budget, received LEED Gold status and was completed on schedule. It truly sticks out as an exciting time in my career, and one I will never forget.” 

Randy joined Boone after graduating from graduate school with a degree in Industrial Safety. He rebooted the hospital’s Fire Safety, Emergency Management, and Hazardous Waste programs, while also helping establish the Employee Health department.  

Randy says some of his favorite memories include the safety education he was able to provide to staff and community members. 

“Regulations changed each and every day, so there was a constant need for learning and sharing of knowledge,” he said. “I did around 948 fire drills and alarms over my career here. I loved doing ‘Fire Fridays’ and having staff bring their children to learn how to use a fire extinguisher.”  

“Boone Health has been extremely fortunate to have both of these gentlemen working for us for so long,” said Chris Jones, chief operating officer. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to find anyone who can fill their shoes completely. Myrl’s leadership for all of our expansion and infrastructure projects has helped Boone Health meet our community’s growing needs. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their commitment to ensuring that any operational issue we had on our campus was taken care of as quickly as possible so we could accomplish our mission of caring for every patient.” 

Both Randy and Myrl have lots of funny memories to look back on.  

“In the summer of 2003, the Postpartum unit had a two-inch water pipe break, and within minutes the unit was rapidly flooded with more than two inches of water that leaked through to the floor below which was home to several clinical spaces and various support offices,” Myrl said. “I was surveying the damages when I looked up and here comes our President, Mike Shirk, walking down the hall splashing water with every step. With his famous grin, he remarked ‘Are your feet wet?’ Then as a surprise at our next awards banquet he presented me with a pair of rubber waders. He was quite a jolly jokester!”  

“Years ago, I got a 2:00 a.m. call from the Lee Street Deli. A frat guy told me to come by and pick up our beds that they had ‘borrowed’ for the night,” Randy said. “It turns out they had done bed races in the East Campus neighborhood. I took the hospital pickup truck with the tommy lift and brought them back to the north tower.”  

Both Randy and Myrl chuckle as they remember months spent preparing for possible Y2K disasters and sitting in the control room as midnight struck and nothing happened.  

They also discussed the tragedy of 9/11 when Myrl was on a business trip out of state. Unable to get home after all flights were grounded, Myrl managed to find a limousine to get himself and his coworkers home.  

“We were all shocked when he just walked in the door that day,” Randy said.  

Both men say they have had a wonderful experience working at Boone but are looking forward to their next chapter.  

Myrl has seven grandchildren between the ages of 8 and 16. His grandkids keep him and his wife busy as they try to go to as many of their sporting games as they can.  

Randy also plans to spend lots of time with family and continue working with his church’s prison ministry team.  

“They have both been instrumental in helping Boone Health ensure the highest quality care through their patient safety responsibilities,” Chris said. “They leave us in an extraordinarily strong position. Many patients have never seen them, but they have benefited from all the work they accomplished over the years. We wish both Myrl and Randy the absolute best in their retirement.”