By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Seferino Gomez III joined the Val Verde Hospital District Board of Directors as the new trustee representing Precinct 4.
Gomez was sworn in as one of the board’s two new trustees during a regular board meeting at the Val Verde Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, May 22.
Gomez was born and raised in Del Rio and attended local schools. He graduated from Del Rio High School in 2005 and studied afterward at Southwest Texas Junior College, where he received associate’s degree hours.
Gomez has gained experience from working as an assistant business manager for Val Verde Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, as the human resources director for La Vida Serena Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, as the admissions and marketing director for the Del Rio Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and as the family services director and crematory operator for Sunset Memorial Oaks Funeral Home & Cremations. He currently works as the executive director for Southwest Assisted Living.
During an interview with The 830 Times, Gomez said he tells people, “I was born and raised at the hospital.”
Gomez said his mother, Olga Gomez, worked in social services for 37 years in case management. While growing up and being with his mother at work, Gomez said he has seen the hospital go through many changes.
Gomez thanked his mother for shaping who he is today. From volunteering in local nursing homes to starting his career in personal health care, Gomez became an active player in the community.
Besides his 15 years in personal health care, Gomez said his relationships with the doctors and staff at the hospital can help him while serving on the hospital board.
“I also saw a lot of opportunity here; a lot of room for improvement. And like I said, being involved in health care, I thought it would be a good fit, where I can serve the community the best that I could,” Gomez said.
As a member of the hospital board, Gomez said one of his goals is to help expand and find solutions and resources to meet the many concerns in the community such as cancer care and mental health. He also wants to help improve the emergency room services provided to patients.
“Health care is a pillar in the community, and as a board we need to make sure that the pillar stays healthy so that we continue being a refuge and being a service,” Gomez said. “We are the main service-providing hospital in the county, so we need to stay healthy and provide the best service we can.”
As a final comment, Gomez said he has a personal passion to serve the community, and while as a board director, he wants to learn more about how the hospital functions.
