Deborah Cooper: Transcript (26 pp.). At the time of the interview, Cooper was the president of the Nonprofit Services Center (St. Louis), designed to make nonprofit organizations stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. She was the Foundation’s first vice president for programs in 2002. Cooper explained her educational and professional background, early work at the Foundation, the state of health nonprofits, how she left the Foundation in 2006 to work at the Nonprofit Services Center, and the relationship between the two agencies. Interview and consent signed., 2010 Mar 4

File — Box: 1, Folder: 9

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection contains transcripts for video interviews conducted from January 2009 to June 2010 with 48 individuals relating to the formation and history of the Missouri Foundation for Health. Some transcripts are accompanied by biographical data, interview guides (notes to guide the interviews’ pace and content), index to interviews, and various notes and articles. There are two research files which appear at the beginning of the collection. The transcript files are arranged alphabetically by interviewee name.

The project, supported by the Missouri Foundation for Health and the Missouri Historical Society, charts the history of the foundation from its creation in 2000 through 48 video interviews with community activists, board members, staff, and beneficiaries of early grants. Gwen Moore, Missouri Historical Society historian, conducted all 48 interviews. Unfortunately, Alberta Slavin (1930-2008), who was the board’s first chairperson, died before the project began.

Two of the interviewees, attorney Joel Ferber and Blue Cross of Missouri executive John A. O’Rourke, were involved with the litigation settlement which led to the formation of the Missouri Foundation for Health. Among the research items in the Ferber file is a copy of an article that he coauthored for the Journal of Health Law about Blue Cross nonprofit conversions. Another key document was issued by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri on June 16, 2000: The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri Settlement: A Brief Update. In eight pages this document explained the litigation settlement results, the qualifications for board members, the role of the Community Advisory Committee, how the Foundation was funded, and many other questions surrounding the new conversion foundation (B1/f.20).

Two research files contain a few excerpts from the Foundation’s archives, email and meeting minutes, from 2000 to 2006. There is also a news release from the Missouri Attorney General announcing the appointment of the Foundation’s board with brief biographies, dated November 29, 2000. The second folder contains notes used to assist in developing interview guides and a seven-page summary of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri litigation written by Gwen Moore (B1/f.1-2).

Prior to the interviews, Moore asked interviewees to complete a Biographical Information and Family History form (4 pp.) which provided current contact information; date/place of birth; spouse name; parental data (life dates, occupations); names of siblings; and interviewees’ backgrounds (education, work history, awards/ honors, religious affiliation). Approximately 25% of the interviewees completed the form for inclusion with the transcripts. Other biographical data is included for several interviewees, such as newspaper clippings and online workplace biographies. Moore began each interview by asking interviewees to provide personal, family, and educational background and to discuss their professional experiences.

Some topics that appear across the interviews are the relationship between the Community Advisory Committee and the Foundation’s Board of Directors, the extent of the involvement of Attorney General Jay Nixon and Assistant Attorney General Paul Wilson with the Foundation’s activities, and the impact of the Foundation upon healthcare in Missouri. Several former board members discussed concerns relating to balancing urban and rural interests/needs. Also related to this urban-rural balance was the representation for women and minorities on the board.

Dates

2010 Mar 4

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Extent

From the Collection: 1.25 Cubic Feet ( (3 boxes))

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Related Names

Creator

From the Collection: Missouri Historical Society (Creator, Organization)
From the Collection: Moore, Gwendolyn R. (Interviewer, Person)
From the Collection: Auner, J. David, Dr., 1952- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Battle, Brenda Ann, 1959- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Bentley, Judy A. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Blouin, Amy (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Brewster, Mary C. (Mikki), 1939-2018 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Brown, Melvin F., 1935-2020 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Cooper, Deborah (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Cunningham, Erma, 1921-2016 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: DeSimone, Peter (Salvatore), 1937-2018 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Dial, Marcia (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Ellinger, Roy, 1941-2014 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Epstein, Fred S. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Flood, Bridget (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Ferber, Joel (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Freund, Robert, Jr. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Gibbons, Jeanne (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Todd, Greta (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Gipson, Kevin (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Goode, P. Wayne (Wayne), 1937-2020 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Gragg, Martha (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Griffin, Archie, ca. 1948-2013 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Gruendel, George, PhD, 1932- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Hoffman, Gayla (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Jackson, Sylvia (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Johnson, K. Beth (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Jones, Sammie Earl, Rev. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Kimmey, James R., Dr., 1935- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Kirkpatrick, Peggy (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Knight, James, Dr., 1946- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Levy, Ronald J. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: McCarthy, Joseph (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: O'Rourke, John A. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Paul, Jerry, Rev., 1949-2015 (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Pilant, Mary, 1940- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Pu, Steven M., Dr., 1951- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Reed, Tracy M., Dr., 1970- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Rice, B. T., Rev. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Ross, William R., Dr., 1958- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Scott, Gertrude M. (Trudi), 1949- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Sherberg, Ellen, 1948- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Shelton, Reuben A., 1954- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Silman, Diane E. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Stuhlman, H. Lynn (Lynn), 1937- (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Van Matre, Craig (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Walentik, Corrine, Dr. (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Wilson, Karl E., PhD (Interviewee, Person)
From the Collection: Winton, David Andrew (Interviewee, Person)