New Blood Assurance CEO J.B. Gaskins poses for a portrait in their offices on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn.On his first day on the job at Blood Assurance in Chattanooga, JB Gaskins rolled up a sleeve and made his first blood donation.
As the new CEO of one of Tennessee’s biggest blood banks, Gaskins said some wondered why the voluntary blood donation was his first act on the job with so many pressing challenges from the 200-employee staff, which helps collect, test and distribute about 110,00 units of blood a year across 51 counties in parts of five states.
“I think it’s important to lead by example so even though a lot of people thought it was strange, I said I need to make an appointment and donate,” Gaskins recalls. “We ask people to take the time and donate every day and I wanted to make that a priority for me as well. My goal is to donate at each of our 16 fixed locations.”
Gaskins, who began his career as a part-time phlebotomist on a blood-mobile while at the University of Florida, has worked at blood banks for 36 years and was previously senior vice president for OneBood Services in St. Petersburg, Florida – the third biggest blood bank in the country. In September, he succeeded Rick Youngblood, who served as Blood Assurance president in Chattanooga since 2009,
“Becoming CEO of a blood bank such as this is really the pinnacle of my career and feel like I was blessed beyond belief to be asked to come here and to take this job,” Gaskins says.