McLeod Health celebrated the unveiling of a portrait to honor the late Dr. Joseph “Jay” M. Pearson, Jr., on September 30, 2024. A general surgeon, mentor and physician leader with McLeod, Dr. Pearson cared for the surgical needs of patients in the region for 47 years. 

During a portrait unveiling ceremony at the McLeod Medical Plaza, Donna Isgett, President and CEO of McLeod Health, welcomed family members, friends and former colleagues of Dr. Pearson. 

“What an extraordinary evening. We are blessed to pay tribute to such a remarkable physician leader, family man, and friend. Dr. Pearson was indeed an ambassador for McLeod, and in all respects deserving of this lifetime achievement award. This portrait is a visual reminder of how individuals like Dr. Pearson have fundamentally served others with the highest standards of excellence, advanced our core values, and moved our organization forward as a change agent in their professional field.

“Many of us formulate our own ideas and philosophies about what constitutes greatness or makes a hero – – but what comes to the forefront about Dr. Pearson is his commitment, authenticity, mentorship and honesty. McLeod Health, and our world, were made better places because of him,” said Isgett.

Benjamin Zeigler, a member of the McLeod Health Board of Trustees, shared remarks on what Dr. Pearson meant to him personally and as an exceptional physician leader at McLeod.

“I can’t tell you what an honor and privilege it is to speak about someone who was not only a profoundly important and impactful part of this great institution, but who was also a friend and example to me personally for most of life. Dr. Pearson was a patient and attentive teacher and mentor to generations of surgeons, many of whom are in this room today.

“When we say that the value of the person is one of our core values at McLeod, we don’t just mean the persons we care for. We also mean the persons who make up our collective character; those who are our examples, our witnesses, our friends and colleagues. Of these, I can think of none greater than Dr. Pearson – a man who was kind, compassionate, competent, curious and above all self-aware,” added Zeigler.

Zeigler was followed by remarks on Dr. Pearson’s character and professionalism by fellow colleague Dr. Alva W. Whitehead.

In his remarks, Dr. Whitehead said, “I believe Dr. Pearson’s greatest professional role as a physician was how much he cared for the next generation of surgeons and his willingness to mentor them. His ultimate goal was to catch residents early in their training to hopefully captivate them into general surgery. A mentor to other physicians can have an exponential impact over time. His lasting legacy is an example for all physicians to follow. In medicine, we are taught to ‘see one, do one, teach one.’ He ‘saw one, did one, and taught one hundred.’”

With the loss of Dr. Pearson in December 2023, his son, Joseph M. Pearson, III, offered remarks on behalf of his family after the unveiling of the portrait. 

McLeod has a long-standing tradition of acknowledging the lifetime achievements of McLeod Professionals including Physicians, Nurses, Advance Practice Providers, Ancillary Staff, Organizational Leaders and Board Trustees. One of the most significant opportunities for recognizing meritorious service and paying tribute to the fine character of these individuals is through the act of commissioning a portrait. The purpose of this distinction is to spotlight and memorialize the recipient’s rare qualities of extraordinary service, coupled with significant contributions to better both the organization and his or her community.

Monday’s event marked the 37th portrait honoring individuals during the past three decades.