John A Hagins

John A. Hagins has worked in healthcare for decades, and it’s the perfect industry for what drives him, especially now in his role as president and CEO of The Community Blood Center (CBC).

“There is no better feeling than starting and completing a day knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life — and it is probably someone you will never know,” he said. “Blood donation and supporting blood donation offers that opportunity.”

At its core, the blood banking industry is a complex field that goes beyond blood drives and encouraging blood donation. It involves business development, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and distribution of highly perishable goods, recruitment efforts, healthcare and nonprofit work.

CBC was established in 1955 and continues today as an independent nonprofit, providing a safe and reliable blood supply to more than 40 hospitals. Through more than 100 blood drives each month throughout the upper Midwest and several donor center locations, CBC fulfills the blood needs of its hospital partners while supplementing remote markets when their local supplies fall short.

Hagins began his professional career with the American Red Cross Biomedical Services when he was a senior in college. Over the course of 27 years, he held various roles within the organization, focusing on service to blood donors and hospital partners. During his last five years with the American Red Cross, he was the CEO of the Greater Alleghenies Region in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In this position, he served donors, hospitals and patients in 100 counties throughout six states.

When he was presented with the chance to lead CBC, Hagins made the jump, eager to leverage problem-solving and innovation in a smaller organization where he might have greater impact. He spearheaded a renovation effort of the organization’s facilities, processes and products. The organization now boasts state-of-the-art laboratories, a transportation facility to support community outreach and expansion of donation opportunities into Green Bay, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, western Wisconsin and Chicago.

Hagins serves as the chair of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism. The task force was formed in 2002 to help manage blood collection after domestic disasters and acts of terrorism and keep the public informed on the status of the national blood supply. In addition, Hagins is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of Blood Centers of America, a cooperative organization of more than 60 independent blood centers representing the largest blood supply network in the U.S.

“Engagement can take various forms, but to me it means staying involved in industry-related organizations and offering my time and talents to develop solutions to our most challenging issues,” Hagins said. “I will continue to take time to talk to peers and colleagues with an ear toward what is unique about each individual situation but also determining the commonalities that can lead to shared solutions.”