Up & comers succeed by motivating others.

Few clues in the early lives of Modern Healthcare's 1990 Up & Comers indicate that they were destined to become young leaders of the healthcare industry. A diverse group, they started out in strikingly different directions. Gary Shorb trained as an engineer and aspired to be an admiral in the Navy. Deborah Johnson studied law but had dreams of becoming a professional musician. Larry Hough started out as a certified public accountant. Somewhere along the line, they were attracted to the healthcare profession. Despite their differences, they have much in common. A psychological survey conducted for the magazine by Michael Leibman of Caliper Human Strategies indicates they are strong motivators who set the tone for their organizations by soliciting the views of their staffs and structuring the agenda. As a group, they are bright, shrewd and goal-oriented. They also fully understand their role. As David Jimenez, president of Hialeah (Fla.) Hospital, said, "Every day you've got to go out there and demonstrate that you're capable of holding down the job, that you deserve to be the leader." These 12 executives, all 40 or younger, were chosen from more than 50 candidates suggested by Modern Healthcare's editorial staff and readers. They represent many facets of the industry and come from every part of the country. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, they are well positioned to play a leadership role in meeting the challenges of providing high-quality and cost-efficient patient care.