Memorial Heroes: Kirk Whitlock, Material Management Supervisor

What is your official title?

Material Management Supervisor

How long have you worked here at Memorial Medical Center?

25 years

How did you come into this position?

I originally started off my career here at Memorial as a Receiving Tech, then worked my way up to Senior Buyer and held that position for 14 years. 6 years ago, I was offered the job as Material Management Supervisor and the rest is history.   

What was your motivation for a career in Healthcare?

I had never worked in healthcare until I started here 25 years ago but once I saw how you could help people in their worst times I was hooked and knew this was the career for me.  

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me starts with a brief meeting every morning with staff to plan the day and address any issues. I then work on vendor bills and building new items into our system, helping staff with issues, back orders and getting new orders placed with vendors. I also do a lot of system maintenance.

How would you describe your role’s responsibilities?

I see my main responsibilities as making sure everybody has what they need when they need it to do their jobs. I do all I can to help our staff succeed.

In what ways do you help patients?

I help patients by making sure we have all the supplies available to help get them well.

What are some of your interests outside of work?

When my kids were young, I was very busy couching them in various sports. Now that they are grown I spend a lot of time with my wife, fishing, and camping.

What is your favorite part about working for Memorial Medical Center?

I enjoy the way it feels like family here. I have known some of these people a long time and have been blessed to have some great memories.