SHARING AN ABUNDANCE OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES

The staff and volunteers at MedShare hate to see anything go to waste. Each year, Rollins students and alumni are among the 10,000 Atlanta volunteers who sort and pack surplus medical supplies for shipment to hospitals and clinics in underserved countries. The organization’s mission speaks volumes to Meridith Rentz 97mba 97 mph, who joined MedShare as ceo last year.

“It was too good to be true,” says Rentz of the opportunity that draws on her expertise in business and health.

When MedShare began 14 years ago, founder A.B. Short sought advice from public health pioneer William Foege on how best to operate the organization. Foege advised him only to ship supplies that hospitals need. Thus MedShare created an online inventory that hospitals use to place orders. Since 1998, the organization has shipped $93 million in supplies and equipment to 88 countries to save lives and preserve the environment.

“We want every U.S. hospital to have a responsible, high-quality way to recover surplus supplies and avoid sending them to landfills,” says Rentz.

Since graduating from Emory, she has applied her dual skill set as a senior manager in health care strategy with Deloitte Consulting and as administrative vice chair with Emory’s Department of Medicine. She subsquently became chief operating officer with the Points of Light Institute, which combines volunteerism and civic engagement to build a healthy society.

Today at MedShare, Rentz oversees staff and operations at warehouse facilities in Atlanta and California with an eye toward expanding to New York and Florida. She often travels to the countries that MedShare serves. At every location, Rentz ensures that the nonprofit works effectively at the nexus of business and health.

“The intersection of both provides powerful solutions for people in need in the United States and other parts of the world,” she says.—PA