Woody Myers

Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr. (born February 14, 1954) is an American physician and politician from Indiana. He served as health commissioner for Indiana and New York City. He was the Democratic nominee for governor of Indiana in the 2020 election, losing to incumbent Republican Eric Holcomb.

Woody Myers
Health Commissioner of New York City
In office
March 30, 1990 – June 11, 1991
MayorDavid Dinkins
Preceded byStephen C. Joseph
Succeeded byMargaret Hamburg
Health Commissioner of Indiana
In office
February 1985 – February 14, 1990
GovernorRobert D. Orr
Evan Bayh
Preceded byThemen Danielson (Acting)[1]
Succeeded byMorris Green (Acting)[2]
Personal details
Born
Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr.

(1954-02-14) February 14, 1954
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationStanford University (BS, MBA)
Harvard University (MD)

Early life and education

Myers is from Indianapolis. His father worked as a landscaper and his mother was a school principal. Myers graduated from Shortridge High School when he was 16 years old, from Stanford University when he was 19 years old, and from Harvard Medical School when he was 23 years old. He also attended Stanford's Graduate School of Business, and earned a Master of Business Administration.[3]

Career

Myers served as an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and quality assurance chairman at San Francisco General Hospital.[4]

Health commissioner

In 1985, Governor Robert D. Orr selected Myers as Indiana's state health commissioner.[3] He weighed 418 pounds (190 kg) when he took the job, but went on a liquid diet. After one year, he weighed 216 pounds (98 kg).[3][4][5] As Indiana's state health commissioner, he supported Ryan White, a teenager with AIDS who had not been permitted to attend school, in his legal challenge against the school board.[4] Myers also supported a law that called for recording the names of those infected with HIV/AIDS and quarantining "recalcitrant carriers" of the disease.[3] In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed Myers to the President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic.[6] He resigned later that year in the midst of infighting.[7]

In 1990, Mayor David Dinkins appointed Myers as New York City's health commissioner.[3] He resigned in 1991, in part due to opposition to some of his HIV/AIDS policies.[8] Myers returned to Indianapolis, and worked for Wellpoint, Corizon Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.[9]

Politics

Myers ran as a Democrat for Indiana's 7th congressional district against incumbent André Carson in the 2008 elections. He came in second place in the primary election, receiving 24% of the vote, while Carson received 46%.[10] In July 2019, Myers announced his candidacy for the 2020 Indiana gubernatorial election.[11] After his opponents (State Senator Eddie Melton and local business owner Josh Owens) dropped out of the race, he became the only remaining Democrat running for Governor in Indiana.[12] He then became the party's official candidate on June 2, 2020.[13] His running mate was Linda Lawson.[14] He ran on a platform of investing in public education,[15] climate change reform,[16] and gun regulations.[17] Myers' garned approximately 32% of the vote which marked the worst performance by a Democratic candidate for governor in Indiana history.[18]

Personal life

Myers is married to his wife, Stacy, and has five children. His son, Zachary A. Myers, is a lawyer and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.[3]

References
  1. "Myers named new health commissioner". The Reporter-Times. Martinsville, Indiana. January 16, 1985. p. 8. Retrieved May 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Myers says his farewell". Newspapers.com. February 14, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  3. Johnson, Dirk (January 20, 1990). "Man in the News: Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr.; A Commissioner Who Knows Strife". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  4. Kusmer, Ken (August 17, 1986). "Indiana's Controversial Health Chief : He's Ready to Shake Things Up". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  5. Neill, Michael (November 16, 1987). "Indiana's Health Chief Got Sick of Life in the Fat Lane, and He's Never Svelte Better". People. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  6. Gerstenzang, James; Cimons, Marlene (July 24, 1987). "Reagan Names Panel to Chart Fight on AIDS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  7. Boodman, Sara G. (October 8, 1987). "Top Officers of AIDS Panel Step Down Over Infighting". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  8. Lee, Felicia R. (May 29, 1991). "Amid Discord, Myers Quits as Health Commissioner". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  9. Davies, Tom. "Democratic business exec enters 2020 Indiana governor's race". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Associated Press. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  10. Staff, The Hill (May 7, 2008). "State by State". TheHill. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  11. Sikich, Chris (July 10, 2019). "Indiana governor's race takes shape as former state health chief Woody Myers jumps in as a Democrat". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  12. Smith, Brandon (February 5, 2020). "Owens Drops Out Of Gubernatorial Race; Myers Will Be Democratic Nominee". WFYI Public Media. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  13. "Live: Indiana State Primary Election Results 2020". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  14. "Dr. Woody Myers Announces Choice for Lieutenant Governor". Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana. May 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  15. Myers, Woody (May 10, 2020). "Investing in Education". YouTube. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  16. "Sounding the Alarm on Climate Change Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic". Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana. April 27, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  17. "(Op-Ed) Dr. Woody Myers on Gun Violence". Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana. April 21, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  18. "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
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