Don Trapp has been involved in community organizations for most of his life. One of his current community roles is as chairperson of our Board of Trustees. As a trustee, he helps provide oversight and governance of hospital operations. He and the other trustees represent the interests of the community to make sure the hospital resources are managed appropriately and that services are provided in accordance with the rules and regulations of the state and federal governments.
Don also serves on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Steering Committee. He believes making DEI a priority for the organization will help to improve services to our customers and make CRH a more attractive place to work. “We need an organization where it continues to attract the most talented people at all levels and for those individuals to have the opportunity to contribute the best that they have, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and other factors,” he said. “In order to have that happen, people have to feel respected for who they are and to work as a team.” Through his experience when in the military and different career roles, he has seen organizations improve their performance significantly when all the members work together to achieve the desired goal and objective. He sees similar cohesive efforts being critical to the success of our DEI efforts.
Originally from the Tidewater area of Virginia, Don moved to Columbus in 1973 after earning his MBA from the IU Kelley School of Business. He joined the Irwin Management Company, which managed the assets, programs, and community projects for the J. Irwin Miller family. There he was involved in a variety of projects, including development of the original Commons downtown.
Don feels it is important to get involved in the community where you live. “It is the cost of citizenship,” he said. That’s why, over the past 50 years, he has been involved in various capacities with over 15 local non-profit organizations, including as founding member of the African American Fund of Bartholomew County, board member of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation, and president of the Williams R. Laws Foundation. Those roles enabled him to learn and participate in the community. Other organizations he has been a member of include the United Way of Bartholomew County, the Redevelopment Commission, the Community Education Coalition, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He and his wife, Shirley, decided to retire in Columbus after years of committing their lives to learning about and supporting community organizations and initiatives.
Two reasons Don joined Irwin Management Company were its views on social equity and its forward-thinking vision for Columbus being a desired place to live and work. He has seen Columbus grow over the years in its focus as well – becoming more collaborative and welcoming. There’s still opportunity to do more and to do better, he said, which he looks forward to being a part of, particularly in the non-profit sector. “Non-profit organizations provide a significant contribution to the quality of life of a community. I feel that I have a responsibility to do my part in giving my time and talent to those organizations. I want to support CRH in being one of the best healthcare service providers and a great place to work,” Don said.
