WHEREAS, Joseph D. Wilkins, president of Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center in Chesterfield County, has been named one of the 2023 Black Business Leaders by Virginia Business magazine; and

WHEREAS, a native of Halifax County, Joseph Wilkins earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 1998 from The College of William & Mary and then a master's degree and doctoral degree in physical therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001 and 2006, respectively; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Wilkins embarked upon a noble career in health care as a physical therapist at Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Center in Mechanicsville and then with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, specializing in spinal cord injuries and helping his patients regain the ability to walk; and

WHEREAS, seeing health administration as a way to broaden his impact, Joseph Wilkins returned to Virginia Commonwealth University and attained a master's degree in health care administration before shifting his career to hospital management; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Wilkins subsequently served with health systems throughout the Commonwealth and in West Virginia, including as director of rehabilitation services for Henrico Doctors' Hospital, assistant chief executive officer of Southside Medical Center in Petersburg, vice president and chief executive officer of Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, West Virginia, and as chief executive officer of Wythe County Community Hospital in Wytheville; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Wilkins assumed the role of president of the St. Francis Medical Center in December 2020, stepping in during a critical time of the COVID-19 pandemic and working tirelessly to ensure the hospital's patients received the highest quality care; and

WHEREAS, although primarily involved with the administrative tasks of running a hospital, Joseph Wilkins did not hesitate to employ his expertise as a physical therapist to fill staffing gaps as needed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, beyond his professional life, Joseph Wilkins has given generously of his time and talents to several community agencies and organizations, including the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, the Virginia High School League Foundation, and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Wilkins has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to his patients, colleagues, and staff and is an embodiment of the ideals of the health care profession; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Joseph D. Wilkins hereby be commended for being named a 2023 Black Business Leader by Virginia Business magazine; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Joseph D. Wilkins as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his contributions to the Commonwealth.