VNA/Hospice Announces New Board Members

Richard Grusin, Board Chairman for Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Florida Keys (VNA/Hospice), is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Perry Arnold, Rick Freeburg and Stuart Kaufman to their Board of Directors.

“We are extremely energized by the leadership and commitment to serve that our new directors have made in support of this agency and its mission of care,” said Grusin.

Dr. Perry Arnold

Dr. Perry Arnold, who received his Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University and his Medical Doctorate from the University of Texas, served in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and the Department of Indian Health prior to completing his USPHS residency in Radiology.

Dr. Arnold practiced general and Interventional Radiology at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore for 27 years before developing and operating the first free-standing interventional access center for dialysis patients in the United States.  The center focused on dialysis access care as well as training other physicians on how to successfully treat dialysis dysfunction.

Prior to retiring in Key West in 2005, Dr. Arnold was a part-time member of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution faculty for 29 years and then worked part-time in New York for six years.  Dr. Arnold was a volunteer physician for VNA/Hospice in 2005 and 2006 and serves on the City of Key West’s Board of Art in Public Places.

Mr. Rick Freeburg

As Chief Executive Officer of Mariners Hospital, Mr. Freeburg received a Bachelor of Arts from Principia College in Illinois and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.

Mr. Freeburg’s healthcare career began in 1987 as the Vice President of Administration at Doctors Hospital.  He then moved to South Miami Hospital where he was Vice President of Human Resources, Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.

A native of Miami, Mr. Freeburg was actively involved in the community.  He served on the Special Olympics Board of Directors, the former City of South Miami Pension Board, and the Board of the University Baptist Church.  He also was a member of the 200 Club, an organization providing funds to families of fallen police officers and fire fighters, as well as the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scouts Review Committee.

Bringing that same level of community involvement with him to the Keys, Mr. Freeburg is a former Board member of the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys, the Rural Health Network of Monroe County, and the Health Council of South Florida.  He is also the Co-Chair of the Upper Keys Taxing District Advisory Board and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Mr. Stuart Kaufman

Mr. Kaufman has been actively involved in Key West since 1985 when he and his partners of Southernmost Beach Ltd. purchased what is currently the Southernmost Hotel Collection.  The collection includes the Southernmost on the Beach Resort, Southernmost Hotel in the USA, and the La Mer Hotel & Dewey House.

Mr. Kaufman graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1965, practiced law in Detroit, Michigan and has been involved with real estate development since 1984.  Aside from his new appointment to the VNA/Hospice Board, he also is a member of the Board of  Directors for the Waterfront Playhouse.

About Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys, Inc.

Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys is an integrated agency that has been providing skilled home health, private duty care and hospice services to the residents and visitors of Monroe County since 1984. VNA/Hospice offers a full range of compassionate, effective, life-enhancing health and supportive services that enable an individual to remain in his or her home.  For more information regarding VNA/Hospice, please call 305-294-8812 or visit www.VNAHospiceKeys.org. Hospice License:  HPC50310951.  VNA License:  HHA21245096. HCS License: 232500 and 232517.  EIN: HHA21245095.  Charitable organization registration number: CH87.