NEA C-Suite: Ben Barylske

How would you describe your company? St. Bernards has provided 125 years of faith-based, patient-driven, innovative health care. We exist because of and for the communities we serve, and today, our system reaches 23 counties across northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri. The decisions shaping St. Bernards are made locally by leaders who live here. 

What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? When I joined St. Bernards, I was empowered to build reliable, capable teams filled with individuals of integrity who share a common mission and goals. After the teams are built, they have freedom to creatively solve problems.  

Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can take jobs in your industry? Technology revolutions are more jarring than evolutions. I remember the advent of the internet and how so many people believed employment opportunities would go away. It changed the way we work, but we adapted and incorporated.  

What’s your favorite movie? I love “Gladiator” with Russell Crowe. You have action and incredible scenery, but underneath it all there’s a gripping story of loss and the human will to press on. 

Which skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? Our best leaders are both talented and show gratitude. It’s two sides of a coin. On one side, they communicate, solve problems, build teams, plan and forecast, and react quickly to changes beyond their control. On the other side, they are grateful stewards with high personal and moral integrity. Good leaders need both to succeed personally and professionally, and their successes make our organization stronger. 

If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? I’m fascinated by people different from me. Many of these people take risks, which is essentially the opposite of what a CFO does. I think of somebody my age, such as Dana White of the UFC. This guy helped grow a business worth $2 million into a 12-plus billion-dollar juggernaut. He did it all while managing strong personalities and traveling the world booking fights. 

If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? I’m learning to manage my time better. It’s easy to let important matters get in the way of the most paramount issues. Sorting and prioritizing haven’t always come naturally to me, but I need to do both if our organization is to succeed. 

What is the most used app on your phone? For work, I have three: Our email service, GW Mailbox GroupWise Client; Our HIPAA-compliant chat service, DocHalo; and Apple’s Messages app.

How significant to you is developing a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) culture within your organization? We seek the most talented, capable individuals of integrity and reliability at St. Bernards. We recruit these persons at all levels — local, state, national, even international, depending upon the need. We aim to put the right people in the right roles and give them opportunities to succeed and advance. Ultimately, we strive for unity, but not uniformity, among our 4,800 team members.

If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? I can think of several worthy causes. I would start with organizations that promote mission work and the spread of the Gospel.