Thursday September 23, 2021
Fort Wayne IN – The Three Rivers Ambulance Authority board unanimously voted to hire Joel Benz as the Executive Director, replacing retiring Director Gary Booher. Mr. Booher had served since 1989.
Mr Benz brings extensive experience as a paramedic, working at TRAA for nearly 19 years in various roles. He also has been a flight medic with Parkview Samaritan for over 10 years. In addition to holding an MBA from the University of St. Francis, and experience operating businesses in the private sector, Mr. Benz was elected to Allen County Council in 2014. He has served two terms as council president and overseen an annual budget of $100 million.
Following the vote, board President Dr. Tom Dykstra said; “Joel was a leading candidate from the beginning of the process and is extremely qualified to lead TRAA moving forward.”
In a statement Joel Benz said, “I look forward to the opportunity to serve my community in another role. Emergency Medical Services are in the midst of challenging times, and will have to adapt, but this is a special opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.”