Founder
His vision began in college, when Tom worked two summers with the Missionaries of Charity (the order founded by Mother Teresa) in San Francisco at the “Gift of Love” AIDS Hospice. Tom witnessed the unconditional love the women had for the men at the hospice. When they cared for them, fed them, bathed them, cleaned for them, cried with them, and ultimately went on the journey of death with them, they never saw a criminal, an intravenous drug user, a non-Christian, or someone with a different sexual lifestyle. Tom can testify with all his heart and soul that these women saw Jesus in these men. They saw Christ in the suffering, Christ in the sick, and Christ in the dying. Christ said, "What you do for the least of your brethren, you do for me." This scripture was real for these women, and they took immense joy in serving their fellow brethren, some of who had been abandoned by their own families. Tom cannot say he is so holy, but he founded first hospice Iowa Hospice and then Saint Jude Healthcare on the principles learned from his experience at the "Gift of Love" AIDS Hospice. On April 1, 2005, Tom moved into the first Iowa Hospice office in Johnston, Iowa. He took the key, opened the door, and saw a difficult road ahead. Tom had no furniture, no phones, and no employees. He only had a 55-page business plan that would be his map and blueprint for his dream. And Tom was dreaming big. Tom took the lead role as president and CEO, but also as the visionary who saw a way to change the face of end-of-life care in Iowa. On June 3, 2005, Iowa Hospice admitted its first patient and on August 1, 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, in collaboration with Iowa's Department of Inspection and Appeals, officially recognized and certified Iowa Hospice. In June of 2008 Tom sold Iowa Hospice to Voyager HospiceCare of Fort Worth, Texas. Though he remained a minority shareholder until Voyager was sold to Harden Healthcare in August of 2010 and remained their President until Dec. 31, 2010. Tom grew Iowa Hospice to 13 offices serving an average daily census of over 500 patients in 90 of 99 counties in Iowa. Saint Jude Healthcare opened in the fall of 2008 and in March 2009 it opened Saint Jude Hospice in Oakdale, MN. Saint Jude Hospice was Medicare and Medicaid certified in October of 2009. It continues to grow across the State of Minnesota. The summer of 2010 it opened a location in Madison, WI. Saint Jude Hospice continues to grow with expansion into California and other states. He is also a board member and minority owner of St. Gregory Retreat Centers (2 in-patient substance abuse centers) in Bayard and Adair, Iowa.  |
Tom Moreland a native of Iowa City resides in Urbandale and has been in hospice since 1999. Tom graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors of Science in Education in 2001 and a Master in Health Services Administration in 2004. He founded Saint Jude Healthcare in the summer of 2008 as a parent company and management team to multiple healthcare entities. At the same time he founded Saint Jude Hospice, Hospicecareers.com and Hospice of the Miami Valley.
