Greater Fayetteville Business Journal has been preparing for its third quarterly Power Breakfast, which is just around the corner. 

The event, themed “The Health Care Economy,” is set to take place on Feb. 22 at Highland Country Club in Fayetteville from 7:30-9:30 a.m. 

Leaders in our health care community will talk about the business of health care and what changes are to be expected as we emerge from COVID.

The presenting sponsor for the third quarterly Power Breakfast is Copiers Plus. 

Marty Cayton, publisher of Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, says that the topic was picked for its relevance and importance to the business community. “With all that is going on in the world right now with COVID-19 and all of its effects that it has had on people – not only our health and safety but also our economy,” he said, “health care represents 20 percent of our gross domestic product. It obviously has had an impact on jobs, hospital systems and testing.”

The Power Breakfast will feature three key speakers  from our community who will address the state of the healthcare industry and what the future looks like on the other side of COVID. These local leaders will also discuss the industry’s impact on our local regional economy.

The Power Breakfast is a premier networking event, but Cayton sees it as a prime opportunity to unite local businesses in learning about an industry that affects them. “This is at the front of everyone’s mind right now,” he said. “This is also going to create a difference in the economy, and I think it is interesting to the local business groups [to learn] about what is to come. And what better way to get that information than from the leaders of hospitals and health care?”

The speakers chosen to speak at the Power Breakfast were selected because they are knowledgeable, leading representatives of health care in our community. 

The speakers:

Daniel L. Dücker became the Fayetteville, N.C. VA Coastal Health Care System’s executive director in June 2019. In the role, he leads a team of more than 2,500 healthcare professionals and staff, serving over 85,000 veterans at 15 locations throughout 19 counties in southeast North Carolina, with an overall operating budget of more than 750 million dollars.

  Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the acting deputy network director for VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) in Durham, N.C. and interim medical center director for VA Maine HCS-Togus in August, Maine. Dücker began his VA career in April 2009 as the executive assistant to the Chief of Staff at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, FL where he also served as the clinical operations and business analyst/group practice manager.

  Dücker retired from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2017 as a Medical Service Corps officer at the rank of colonel after nearly 34 years of service.

A 1987 graduate of University of Northern Iowa with a B.A. in Therapeutic Recreation, he also earned a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at the University of South Carolina in 1992 as well as a M.A. in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2010. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Reserve Officers Association, the American Legion, and the Military Officers Association of America.

Michael Nagowski has been the CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health System since January 2008. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Park College, Arlington, Virginia, and his MBA from Saint Bonaventure University in Olean, New York.  Prior to coming to Cape Fear Valley, Nagowski was president of Buffalo General Hospital and Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital (both part of the Kaleida Health System) in Buffalo, New York.

Col. Christopher G. Jarvis previously served as the supervisory assistant deputy of health affairs for the assistant secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Prior to assuming this position he served as commander of the U.S. Army Medical Activity Alaska and Bassett Army Community Hospital from July 2016 to July 2018.

Some of his previous military assignments include: chief medical officer, enhanced multi-service market, Colorado Springs Military Health System; Regional Command-South surgeon, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kandahar, Afghanistan; division surgeon, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado; commander, Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; officer-in-charge, Phipps Troop Medical Clinic, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Balad, Iraq; chief, Department of Family Medicine and Soldier Health Services, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Kentucky and many more.

Jarvis is a graduate of the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He received a Doctorate of Medicine Degree from the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed his internship and residency in Family Medicine at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He completed his fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Dewitt Army Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Jarvis holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College in Washington, D.C. 

“We work beyond just Cumberland County but when we are looking at the military primarily, I thought it would be a good idea to involve the VA and Womack to get their perspective as well as the local provider here in Fayetteville on the topic,” Cayton explained.

Similar to how the past two Power Breakfasts, the upcoming event will kick off with a time of networking. One of the core missions of the Power Breakfast is to help businesspeople connect with each other. 

After the networking, the speakers will be introduced. Then, in a panel discussion format, the speakers will answer a variety of relevant questions about health care. The audience will also get the opportunity to participate and ask questions. 

This time around, GFBJ is doing something a little different to wrap up the event, and attendees are in for a treat.  The Power Breakfast will also serve as the launch and reveal of a brand new publication, the Book On Business. The Book On Business is a compilation of ranked lists of a variety of industries and points of interest for the business community as well as economic indicators, information on economic drivers in the region and more. 

Everyone in attendance will receive a copy of the BOB. 

Tickets are in high demand for the event, and they are on sale now. Prospective attendees can purchase individual tickets or tickets for a table. 

With the expectation of getting pretty close to selling out, tickets are on sale now for anyone who wishes to attend the event on February 22nd. Tickets are available to purchase individually or as a table. Get yours today at http://fayettevillepowerbreakfast.com/.