1. CHRONICLE-TRIBUNE, MARION, IND. MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2013 A5
hospital.
“You’re selling a product,”
she said of working for Coca-
Cola. “But in health care,
you’re saving lives and doing
something of value.”
She and her husband Aaron
returned to Marion because
of Aaron’s job at Eli Lilly and
Company. He had to live any-
where between Indianapolis
and Fort Wayne, and Marion
was the obvious choice for
the couple. Aaron also is from
Marion and currently serves on
the Marion Community Schools
board. He also has several fam-
ily members who teach at Mar-
ion Community Schools.
Vermilion said she was ex-
cited to move back to Marion.
Though she loved the “big
town atmosphere” when
she was in her 20s, things
changed.
“Everything stops and
changes when you have a
baby,” she said.
At the time, she and her hus-
band had a son, and working
full-time while being a mom
was difficult when they lived
so far away from family.
“It was wonderful,” she
said of moving back. “It’s
very hard to raise kids in a
big city when you don’t have
family or friends. As a work-
ing mom, there’s not a more
perfect community to work in
than Marion.”
She and Aaron now have
three children, Sam, 13, Ella,
10, and Beck, 7.
Once in Marion, Vermil-
ion worked in the marketing
and business development
department at the Chronicle-
Tribune and Richmond Palla-
dium-Item.
After five years working for
Gannett Newspapers, she got
a job in 2005 at MGH. Former
CEO David Callecod was a
family friend and offered her
a job in marketing. The job at
the newspaper required much
travel time, which was taking
a toll on Vermilion, who was
at the time pregnant with her
third child.
“I was thrilled to get back
into health care,” she said.
She continued her education
after she got the position.
In 2007, she received her
master’s in business admin-
istration from IU, and in 2011
she received her board cer-
tification as a fellow in the
American College of Health-
care Executives.
She said she loves working
in such a positive environ-
ment where everyone is hap-
py with their job.
“I love walking the hallways
because if you work here, you
want to work here,” she said.
“It’s refreshing. It doesn’t
matter what area of the hos-
pital you work in, you want to
work here.”
Since returning to Marion,
Vermilion hasn’t just been a
spokesperson for MGH, but
for several other agencies in
the community. She didn’t
hesitate getting involved
in organizations when she
moved back.
She has served as campaign
chair of the United Way of
Grant County since 2010 and
previously served on boards
for Boys and Girl’s Club of
Grant County, Grant County
Economic Growth Council,
Main Street Marion and Hu-
mane Society.
She and her husband, along
with Mayor Wayne Seybold,
also have organized and led
Marion delegates of young
local athletes in competing in
the International Children’s
Games in past years.
Alicia Hazelwood, director
of the United Way, said Ver-
milion has been essential to
the campaign.
“She puts so much life and
energy into the campaign,”
she said. “She truly believes
in what we’re doing.”
Vermilion’s experience in ad-
vertising has helped her in the
role at the United Way because
she is able to explain to others in
the community what the United
Way does, Hazelwood said.
“She is just comfortable
in that position, and she can
translate the mission while
talking to other people. She’s
just so full of energy and is an
asset not just to the United
Way and the hospital, but to
the community as a whole,”
Hazelwood said.
Vermilion said the United
Way helps 14 agencies, so be-
ing part of the organization
is a way for her to benefit 14
important groups.
The hardest part of being
involved in the community
is saying “no,” she said. She
believes if she can’t be 100
percent committed, then she
shouldn’t be involved. Her
recent decision to resign from
the board of the Boys and
Girl’s Club was difficult and
emotional, she said.
Director Adam Myers said
Vermilion was a wonderful
board member.
“She’s been a hard worker
and a great advocate for the
club,” he said. “She’s committed
to Marion and is encouraging.”
Before she joined the
board, her husband was on
the board, and Myers said he
considers the Vermilion fam-
ily personal friends.
“I hate to lose them, but she
is still going to be involved in
whatever capacity that we
need her because she wants
to see the kids involved, and
she cares,” Myers said.
Vermilion said it’s much
easier to get involved in a
community like Marion,
compared to Indianapolis,
because of the travel time in
larger cities. In Marion, she
is able to work full-time, at-
tend meetings, be involved in
her children’s activities and
participate in other organi-
zations. The key is having a
strong support system of fam-
ily and friends to help.
“I soaked everything about
it in,” she said of returning to
her hometown.
She said the community is
very welcoming to graduates
who return, and she believes
there are plenty of opportuni-
ties here for graduates.
“You shouldn’t have to give
up professional development
for small town life,” she said.
Though companies have of-
fered her other professional
opportunities, she said she’s
content living in Marion and
working at MGH.
“At MGH, there is always
more to learn,” she said. “I
can’t fathom not working at this
hospital. I’ve found my home.”
Alicia Hazelwood, director
ONLINE EXTRA
For video featuring Ann
Vermillion visit our Web
site: www.
chronicle-
tribune.com
Advocate:Advertising experience helped Vermillion with United Way role
Continued from Page A1
JEFF MOREHEAD / jmorehead@chronicle-tribune.com
HOMEWORK HELP — Ann Vermilion, administrative director of Medical Staff Services and Community Outreach at Marion General Hospital, helps sons
Beck, 7, at left, and Sam, 13, right, with homework Monday at home. Make this image yours. Go to www.chronicle-tribune.com.
JEFF MOREHEAD / jmorehead@chronicle-tribune.com
MAKING DINNER — Ann Vermilion, administrative director of Medical Staff Services and Community Outreach at Marion
General Hospital, talks with husband, Aaron, right, as they fix dinner Monday at home. Make this image yours. Go to www.
chronicle-tribune.com.
JEFF MOREHEAD
/ jmorehead@
chronicle-tribune.
com
GIVING
UPDATES
— Ann
Vermilion,
campaign
chair-
woman for
the United
Way, gives
an update
on the cam-
paign dur-
ing a board
meeting
Tuesday
evening.
Make this
image
yours. Go
to www.
chronicle-
tribune.
com.
“At MGH, there is always more to learn. I can’t fathom not working at
this hospital. I’ve found my home.”
— Ann Vermillion
JEFF MOREHEAD / jmorehead@chronicle-tribune.com
WEEKLY MEETING — Ann Vermilion, administrative director of Medical Staff Services and Community Out-
reach at Marion General Hospital, second from right, talks with, from left, Dawn Darga of Designers Group LLC,
Terri Couse, marketing coordinator, and Kelley Hochstetler, community outreach coordinator, during a weekly
staff meeting Tuesday at Marion General Hospital. Make this image yours. Go to www.chronicle-tribune.com.