Houston Healthcare Med-Stop named after ’employee’s-first’ board member

WARNER ROBINS – Houston Healthcare hosted a renaming ceremony in honor of the late Fred Graham April 11.

The Pavilion Med-Stop will now be called the “Fred Graham Pavilion Med-Stop,” located at 223 North Houston Road. 

Graham started serving the people of Houston County as a deputy. While working in law enforcement, he received his law degree and started his own private practice. Graham then became the Municipal Court Judge of Warner Robins. In 2007,  he accepted an appointment to the Hospital Authority. 

Graham served as board member at Houston Healthcare for 17 years. His passion for the institution was evident as he ascended to significant roles, including Chairman of the Houston Hospitals Board of Trustees and, most recently, Vice Chairman of the Houston Healthcare System Board.

“He was one of the hardest working board members because he put a lot of time in with the hospital,” Houston Hospitals, Inc. Chairman Tommy Stalnaker said. 

Stalnaker said Graham was an employee’s-first board member. 

“He would put employees very high in priority,” he said. “Employees are really what make the organization what it is.” 

Graham went the extra mile for Houston Healthcare employees. Whatever they needed, he would try to get their concerns rectified. 

“He was communicating with employees and would make sure they would get the very best medical service,” he said. 

Stalnaker also pointed out that Graham was a board member who would stand his ground.

“When he had a conviction on a particular issue, he would listen to others while also taking the matter rather seriously,” he said. 

Graham was known for making a difference in the hospital and community while also being a very strong advocate of health care. 

“One thing he advocated more than anything was health care and this community,” Stalnaker said. “His passion was seeing that health care was its very best in this community.” 

Graham’s extensive service dedicated to Houston Healthcare is one of the many reasons why they renamed the Pavilion Med-Stop after him. 

“His leadership and what he contributed to that hospital said that something had to be done to acknowledge this individual,” Stalnaker said. 

The med-stop has more patients than any other med-stop in Houston County. 

“With just the visibility of Mr. Graham’s name, people will have an interest in why this building is named after Fred Graham,” Stalnaker said. 

He said there will be a portrait of Graham inside the building with a tag representing the number of years served for the Hospital Authority. 

Stalnaker said, “The name of this med-stop will serve as a memorial for both present and future generations to honor Fred Graham’s contributions to Houston Healthcare.”

More information about the med-stop can be found here.