Those who change the world aren’t always who we expect. While we may picture tech entrepreneurs, media moguls or scientists tinkering in labs, often, the true changemakers are the local leaders who quietly devote years to making our communities better. At age 80, Will Johnson ’62 has had time to reflect on his life’s work—building hospitals—and how he rose to the top of his field. More importantly, he has considered the lasting impact of his work, realizing that the hospitals he helped establish have not only provided critical healthcare but have also become cornerstones of his Michigan community.

A Neighbor Lends a Hand
In many ways, Will’s story begins when his father passed away, and the 12-year-old found himself feeling lost. “Our world changed,” he remembers. Up until that point, Will had lived a comfortable life with his parents and sister in Summit, New Jersey, a suburban community where many residents, including Will’s father, commuted to Manhattan for work. 

The following summer, Will worked at Bell Labs, thanks to a connection with his neighbor, Ed Chiovarou. The Chiovarous were considering Blair for their own sons, and seeing the family’s situation, encouraged Will’s mother to give thought to the Academy as well. Though the Johnsons didn’t have the financial means to afford a private school education, Will recalls that Mr. Chiovarou went to bat for him. “He went to work with the leadership of Blair Academy and with Blair alumni living in Summit and nearby communities,” all to find a way for Will to attend. Before long, Will was taking tests, going on interviews and learning new skills. His hard work paid off when he was offered a full scholarship. 

The Scholarship That Opened Doors
Thinking about his years on the hilltop, Will shared, “I was given an opportunity to attend Blair Academy on a full scholarship. I waited tables three times a day and raised my hand every time a volunteer was needed. I was 14 when I entered Blair in the fall of 1959. I had recently lost my father, and I was lost intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Blair provided boundaries, focus, encouraged self-discipline, provided an educational pathway, and exposed me to the life lesson that your peer group will be constantly redefined as your life progresses.”

The Blair experience became the foundation for Will’s adult life. After completing his undergraduate studies at The College of Wooster, Will decided to explore hospital administration, which was an emerging field in the 1960s. He earned a master’s degree in that field from the University of Michigan, and then completed a residency at Wilmington Medical Center in Delaware, not far from where his grandfather had been a physician for nearly five decades. 

Keys to Excellence
Will’s career began to take off after three years as an assistant hospital administrator at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He transitioned to a role as vice president for professional services at St. Peter’s Hospital in New York, and then, in 1975, joined Chelsea Community Hospital in Michigan. Over the course of the next 23 years, Will served as the hospital’s chief executive officer, building it into one of America’s top 100 hospitals, a distinction it still holds today. 

When Will started at Chelsea, the hospital was a modest organization with fewer than 100 employees. By the time he retired, it had grown to more than 1,200 employees and was the largest employer in the region. The hospital didn’t just grow in size. It earned a reputation for excellence in healthcare, consistently earning top safety grades and national recognition as an excellent teaching hospital. “We started with 14 medical staff, and grew to 330 by the time I retired,” Will recalls. “Today, there are more than 700 physicians on staff at Chelsea. That is unique in a community of 5,500.” 

The secret to Chelsea Hospital’s success, Will reflects, lay in its family-centered, community-approach to hiring and retaining staff. To start, they established Michigan’s first employer-based childcare center. At a time when most hospitals did not even allow children under 12 to visit, Chelsea welcomed them, believing that family connection could speed patients’ healing.

“We also did something that most employers didn’t,” Will recalls. During job interviews, applicants were encouraged to bring their spouses and children. “That made a difference. It showed we cared about the family, not just the employee.” This holistic, nurturing approach extended beyond hiring. The hospital made a practice of encouraging activities and organizations that supported their employees’ lives. “We backed service clubs and helped raise funds for Faith in Action [a faith-based organization that supports local congregations]. We hosted meals, rehearsal dinners and even wedding receptions for staff,” Will shares with pride.

By addressing needs like nutritious food, healthcare, physical activity and creating social bonds, the hospital became a trusted partner to the local town of Chelsea. In recognition of this impact, the town even named the street leading to the hospital after Will. Ever humble, Will emphasizes the collective effort behind the achievements. “We had a great team, and many remained with us for 30 years or more,” Will notes. “Today, Chelsea remains fully staffed,” a rare achievement in American healthcare, “where less than 10 percent of hospitals can say the same.”

A Life of Gratitude & Giving Back
Now retired, Will spends his days enjoying time with his partner Diane Kurtz, children and grandchildren, playing golf,

pickleball and traveling, and he often thinks about paying it forward. As the onetime recipient of the Blair Alumni Scholarship, Will understands the importance of connections, having an advocate and benefitting from the generosity of others. Having sponsored more than 135 scholarships at Blair, Wooster, Michigan and in the Chelsea community, he hopes, he says, to “return the favor as best I can.” 

Will’s early experiences at Blair, he says, shaped his views on leadership and community. “The Chiovarous showed me what a difference it makes to have an advocate. Waiting tables in the dining hall taught me a lesson in time management. Playing bridge with [former mathematics teacher] Gordie Paul, a great teacher and world-class bridge player, taught me the value of continuous improvement, in whatever you do.” 

Looking back, Will realizes that, while he may not have fully grasped the significance of those lessons at the time, they became the cornerstones of his life’s work. “Those lessons at Blair were so important, and over time, I made use of them. I realized how they influenced how much I value the opportunity to serve.” Will’s dedication reminds us all that impactful change isn’t always driven by those in the spotlight. Sometimes, it’s the steady, everyday efforts of those like Will, who devote their lives to building healthy and thriving communities, that make all the difference.