District Governor Frank Adamson

While in high school Frank worked as a psychiatric attendant and ambulance driver/attendant at a large community hospital in Kitchener.   He studied social work at the University of Waterloo, while working as a psychiatric attendant, where he met his wife, Judy, who spent her entire career in psychiatric nursing.

 

In 1972, he moved to St. Catharines to work as a full time ambulance attendant at the Hotel Dieu Hospital.  While there he graduated from a pilot paramedic program, was training officer, shift supervisor and assistant manager.  He left the service to pursue a teaching career as Coordinator of the Ambulance and Emergency Care Program at Niagara College in 1979.  During this time, he was a member and Chair of the Niagara District Health Council.  In 1990 he was asked to chair a Task Force on Hospital Redevelopment by the Minister of Health.  Recommendations were made on the expenditure of $45M, which was approved.  This led to a job at a 400 bed community hospital in Welland as Vice President, Planning & Professional Services, where he spearheaded the development of a Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Strategic Plan and the introduction of a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program.  Over $10M was spent on hospital and equipment upgrades including the addition of a CT Scanner.  While there he served as a member and Chair of the United Way of South Niagara.  After seven years at the Welland Hospital Frank accepted a position as Executive Director of the United Way of Cambridge where he helped to increase funding by 25%.  He returned to Niagara in 1999 to take on the position of Chief of Niagara Emergency Medical Services, a merger of 6 Services, with a staff of 200 paramedics, with 15 bases and 35 vehicles.  While there he developed a bike medic program, tactical paramedics, high angle rescue medics and a Critical Incident Stress Management program.  He was awarded the Governor General’s EMS Exemplary Service Medal in recognition of promoting the profession and community service.

 

After leaving Niagara EMS he trained to be a personal trainer at the YMCA and opened a High Intensity Training facility in Fonthill, called Kwik Fit Niagara, which he still owns and operates.  Last year he opened a second facility, Kwik Fit Kingston with his nephew.  Frank spent 12 years as a lecturer in the Paramedic Program at the Ontario College of Health and Technology in Stoney Creek, retiring in 2018.

 

He joined the Rotary Club of Fonthill in 2012 and has served as Club Administrator, President and Chair of the Pelham Mudfest Challenge, the club’s major fundraiser.  He has been on two medical missions to Honduras representing his club.  He was instrumental in forming the Rotaract Club of the Ontario College where he served as faculty advisor and he recently helped to establish the Rotaract Club of Niagara where he has been the club advisor.  He attended the Youth Exchange Algonquin Experience in 2017.

 

At the district level Frank has been a member of the Million Dollar Dinner Committee, the Assistant Governor of Area 7 for two years, Chair of the Endowment Fund Committee and is a member of the RLI Faculty.

 

He and Judy are major donors, Bequest Society members and Frank is a Paul Harris Society Member.

 

He has been active in leadership roles on numerous community, provincial and national boards and is presently a board member of Wellspring Niagara Cancer Support Foundation and a member of their Capital Campaign Cabinet.  He Chairs the Tour du Lac Committee, which established a cycling ride around Lake Ontario to raise $250,000 for Wellspring’s Capital Campaign.  This enjoys the support of many Rotary clubs in the Niagara Region, Kingston, Webster, N.Y., Lockport and Albion. 

 

In 2019 he was named Citizen of the Year recipient by the Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District.

 

Frank and Judy have 2 daughters, Amy who lives in Warwick, England and Carrie from Pullman, Washington State and one grandson, Evan.