David Groom       

Logistics Management Specialist, US Army

Joined AHRMM in 1995

David Groom is a straight-talking, cut-to-the-chase, “let’s get it done” kind of guy…which kind of sounds like he may be all business, but he actually has a great sense of humor and a rather playful side as well. This Logistics Management Specialist started working in supply chain in 1992, and has spent his entire career in supply chain management, most of it in the military, save for an 18-month stint in a civilian position, which was long enough to confirm that he preferred the structure if his previous employer. While he likes structure, David definitely appreciates having freedom within that structure – freedom to innovate, find creative solutions to sticky problems, and implement changes. He covets that quality in a manager, and he strives to be that kind of manager.

In his current position, which he started in 2017, David is in charge of a capital and asset management of $990 billion dollars’ worth of property and equipment for the Army’s central region (approximately the west coast to Missouri).  He oversees the life cycle management of equipment, accounts for it as it comes in and leaves, making sure it is properly maintained and tracked throughout its life span, and then directs and documents its disposal.

David’s career has taken him back and forth between the Army and the Navy. It’s unusual to go back and forth between different sectors of the military, and David considers himself very fortunate to have had this opportunity. “I’ve served as the VP of supply chain in three naval hospitals and one army hospital. The institutions varied in their size and demand; all of them were between 50-bed and 500-bed facilities. Each sector of the military has its own way of doing things; I was able to take the best from both and apply it in our operations.”

The things David enjoys most about his job are solving problems and looking for ways to improve data capture. “When I see something that’s broken and I figure out a way to fix it, I feel like I have made a difference, had an impact.  I find great satisfaction in both the finality of that (i.e. I came, I saw, I conquered), and feeling like I have positively affected the whole.”

As you can imagine, coordinating the management of capital assets and equipment with medical facilities across numerous states totaling nearly half the country has its challenges. What complicates this further, is that David has no direct control over the sites. “Sometimes it feels like herding cats. We’ll institute a policy, but if that policy is not being implemented at each facility, I have to try and use my powers of persuasion to get things done… and I’ve found that sometimes I don’t have any! That’s my greatest challenge. It takes a lot of time and effort, and I find I am trying to enforce policy in places over which I have no direct control.”

There are some other challenges he’d like to see the field address. “We’ve become, in large part, a throw-away society. In healthcare supply chain we see this up close and personal every day. So many items get thrown out and/or old equipment gets disposed on a daily basis. Why not re-sell, refurbish, donate it, etc.? The government has a whole program for reutilization. I’d like to see this in the private sector as well.” David remembers years back when there were a few groups that had organized programs to encourage re-use. He’d like to see that effort rekindled. David became an AHRMM member in 1995, not too long after he started working in supply chain. He’s also a member of his local AHRMM chapter in San Diego.

David likes the face-to-face networking opportunities available to him as an AHRMM member; he’s especially a fan of the annual conference. “At the AHRMM conference I get to plug in to the private sector. Nationwide there are around 5000 hospitals, but there are only 150 military hospitals. That’s obviously a wonderful opportunity for me to see what other people are doing. I glean a lot of great ideas from the speakers and from the exhibition hall.” In the hall, David likes to “case the joint” on the first day, make the rounds, see who’s there, listen to presentations on the floor. “I always come away from the AHRMM exhibit hall with creative ways to save money and do things smarter and more efficiently.” As much as he enjoys the formal networking activities, David has found some of his best connections are made via other “informal” networking opportunities – riding the elevator, walking to and from sessions, and at the luncheons.

David believes some of the finest learning simply comes by association with all members. While the annual conference and local chapter affiliation is what keeps him coming back to AHRMM, he also appreciates and/or makes use of other tools and education, such as AHRMM’s newsletter, leading practices, and the mentor program. Asked to describe his AHRMM membership in just a few words, David says: “Valuable, day-to-day application, cost savings schemes or methods, always something to learn!”

David has had several mentors/key influencers throughout his life and career. In his military career, he cites Rodrigo Catabay, who was his first boss in the navy, and someone who allowed him to have a lot of responsibility early in his career. He was also the person who encouraged David to join AHRMM and his local chapter. He also calls out Juan Cosme and John Sanders, both men served as his boss in the army, for their trust in allowing David’s personality to shine through his work, letting him be innovative and come up with solutions and ideas, and giving him the space to make them happen.

Personally, David recognizes the influence of James Meredith and Isaiah Parnell. James is a spiritual mentor, and Isaiah was a Deputy Ambassador in the State Department in Kenya. Isaiah reached out to David to oversee a project when the president visited Kenya. “It was humbling to have him place his trust in me, and a great example of diplomacy in every way. It built my self-confidence and influenced my style as a leader.”

As for down time, David is a self-described political junkie. He loves the Sunday morning talk shows, listening to political banter to hear all perspectives, and observing how things play out. He is also somewhat of a “Wikipedia junkie.” He reads history for fun, and as such, is quite a formidable opponent in games such as Trivial Pursuit! He loves to travel and is fascinated by different cultures – studying how they were built, and, in some cases, how and why they met their demise. He also likes to watch movies, especially historical bio-pics, and stays active by playing volleyball and golf.

David’s words to live by: Copy and Steal Everything Always (CASE), and always look for good ideas to improve your organization. To that end, he’ll look for you on the AHRMM exhibit hall floor!