Marin County Health Director Announces Retirement
Larry Meredith, who has served as Marin County’s director of Health and Human Services for more than 13 years, has decided to step down at the end of the month.
At the age of 74, Meredith has decided to retire. But don’t expect him to stay idle.
“The plan is to get back to skiing and hockey,” Meredith said, “although that is not something my orthopedic surgeon wants to hear.”
Since September of 2001, Meredith has been overseeing the department of 700 employees and a budget of $160 million.
“He has offered a strong voice over the years for the context of health,” said Thomas Peters, president of the Marin Community Foundation. “It’s not just a matter of caring for people who are ill but asking the broader question: how do we support people to build and maintain their own good health?”
Among other achievements, Meredith has received praise for his role in the 2009 opening of the county’s Health and Wellness Campus in San Rafael. He was also instrumental in a reorganization of the department which he says left it more efficient and less divided.
The fact that Marin County has the highest health rankings in the state has never deterred Meredith from striving to achieve more, according to his colleagues.
“He didn’t lose sight of the people in our county who did not fit into that higher quality of life and was always striving to level the playing field,” said former supervisor Susan Adams. “His vision, his experience and his passion will be greatly missed by the county.”
Read more about Meredith’s impending departure here.
