[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E413-E414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING HERRMANN SPETZLER

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 10, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of my friend, 
Herrmann Spetzler, who passed away on March 12, 2018, at the age of 70. 
As the longtime chief executive officer of the Open Door Community 
Health Centers in Northern California, Herrmann was a visionary leader 
in the field of rural primary health care who improved the lives of 
thousands of North Coast residents.
  Born in Nuremberg, Germany in 1948, Herrmann Spetzler immigrated to 
the United States in 1955. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree 
from California State University, Los Angeles in 1971, Herrmann entered 
the field of health care and worked to address mental health and 
alcoholism issues throughout California. He moved to Arcata in 1977 to 
become chief executive officer of the Humboldt Open Door Clinic, a 
single storefront clinic run by volunteers with a sense of optimism. 
Under Herrmann's leadership, that clinic grew into thirteen clinic 
locations in Humboldt and Del Norte counties and became the Open Door 
Community Health Centers (Open Door), the region's largest provider of 
primary medical, dental, and mental health care.
  Along with his wife, Cheyenne who serves as Open Door's chief of 
operations, Herrmann transformed Open Door into a Federally Qualified 
Health Center open to all who seek services, working to overcome 
financial, geographic and social barriers to care. His goal was for 
every Open Door clinic to provide a level of service and quality that 
would allow his grandmother to feel comfortable as a patient there. 
Through his decades of expanding access to care by building new 
clinics, incorporating existing practices in the community, recruiting 
providers, and fostering an efficient and comprehensive approach to 
care, Herrmann remained guided by his vision and mission to provide 
high quality health care to all. He was instrumental in starting a 
successful family nurse practitioner residency program and a new 
community physician residency program that will help train primary care 
doctors to work in rural settings.
  One of Herrmann's greatest strengths was his ability to understand 
the trends and impacts of health care policy on a national, state, and 
local level and translate that to others. Herrmann served as an advisor 
to me on policy issues as part of a health care advisory group, where 
he offered invaluable input. Herrmann surrounding himself with talented 
and capable people who he empowered to succeed and grow. As a result, 
Open Door will continue to fulfill its mission and his vision long into 
the future. Herrmann believed in social justice and treating all people 
fairly, including his staff, once taking out a second mortgage on his 
own home to make payroll during a particularly lean time.
  In addition to earning his Master of Arts degree in Administration in 
1985 from Humboldt State University, Herrmann was awarded an Honorary 
Doctorate of Letters in 2014. He was active in all things related to 
health care and served on numerous state-wide boards, including the 
California 1115 Medicaid Waiver Renewal Committee, Expanded Access to 
Primary Care Committee, and Statewide Primary Care Advisory Group, as 
well as regional boards such as the Clinic Network of Northern 
California, Humboldt County Community Breast Health Project, and 
Humboldt Child Care Council. He also cofounded the California Primary 
Care Association, North Coast Clinics Network, Clinic Mutual Insurance 
Company, Northern California Rural Round Table, and California State 
Rural Health Association, amongst others.
  Herrmann loved to travel with his wife and family, hike and backpack, 
watch his grandchildren play sports, and practice photography. He saw 
the beauty in everyday interactions and was often seen behind his 
camera photographing the people and places around him. He had a warmth 
and candor that imparted his authenticity and unique perspective on 
life.
  Herrmann is survived by his wife, Cheyenne; his children, Gary, 
Maria, and Gabe, and their families; including grandchildren, nieces, 
nephews and cousins. Herrmann and

[[Page E414]]

Cheyenne opened their hearts and home to so many, especially friends of 
their children and grandchildren, that their extended family was large, 
including many young children who loved their ``Opa'' and will miss him 
dearly.
  Herrmann Spetzler was a champion of health care whose decades of work 
resulted in improved access to primary care for thousands of residents 
of rural Northern California. Few leave a legacy as large as Herrmann's 
and are as beloved and widely respected. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting 
that we honor Herrmann today for his decades of commitment to the North 
Coast and express our deepest appreciation for his friendship and 
contributions. His presence will be sorely missed, and his legacy not 
soon forgotten.

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