Bio: Mills, Donald C. (Named to Hospital St. Paul, MN - 1974)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Mills, Holmquist, Larson, Thorson

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) /1974

Mills, Donald C. (Named to Hospital St. Paul - 1974)

Kenneth J. Holmquist is retiring June 30 after 19 years as administrator of Bethesda Lutheran Hospital, St. Paul.

Succeeding him will be Donald C. Mills, 40, for the last two years president and chief operating officer of National Health Enterprises, Inc., Milwaukee, a nursing home organization. Mills is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Mills of Neillsville.

The changes were announced by Gustav A. Larson, St. Paul, president of the board of directors of Bethesda Lutheran Medical Center, which operates the hospital and Bethesda Lutheran Infirmary.

Mr. Holmquist will continue as a consultant to the new administrator for the remainder of 1974, Mr. Larson said. He will be honored by the community at a recognition dinner June 20 at the St. Paul Athletic Club.

A native of Neillsville, Mr. Mills was graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1958. He received a Master of Hospital Administration degree from the University in 1962.

During his six years with National health Enterprises, Inc., he helped spearhead a corporate growth program under which the corporation became the world’s largest in the nursing home field. The company grew from 837 beds in five facilities in 1968 to more than 11,000 beds in 1974. In addition to 77 nursing homes, the company operates two acute-care hospitals, a medical services laboratory and 10 pharmacies, with 8,000 employees.

Mr. Carmel Nursing Home, of which he was administrator, is the largest health care complex in the nation, with 785 beds.

Mr. Mills is a member of the American College of Nursing Home Administrators, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity. He is married to the former Loretta Thorson. They have three children: Jan. 14, Julie, 12, and Jolene, 6.