Woody Myers

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Woody Myers

| image =File:WoodyMyers.png

| caption = Myers in 2020

| office = Health Commissioner of New York City

| 1blankname = Mayor

| 1namedata = David Dinkins

| term_start = March 30, 1990

| term_end = June 11, 1991

| predecessor = Stephen C. Joseph

| successor = Margaret Hamburg

| office1 = Health Commissioner of Indiana

| governor1 = Robert D. Orr
Evan Bayh

| term_start1 = February 1985

| term_end1 = February 14, 1990

| predecessor1 = Themen Danielson (Acting){{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44263475/myers_named_new_health_commissioner |title=Myers named new health commissioner |work=The Reporter-Times |location=Martinsville, Indiana |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com |date=January 16, 1985 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}

| successor1 = Morris Green (Acting){{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44263693/myers_says_his_farewell |title=Myers says his farewell |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=2020-02-14 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}

| birth_name = Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|2|14}}

| birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = Stanford University (BS, MBA)
Harvard University (MD)

}}

Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr. (born February 14, 1954) is an American physician and politician from Indiana. He served as health commissioner for Indiana and New York City. He was the Democratic nominee for governor of Indiana in the 2020 election, losing to incumbent Republican Eric Holcomb.

Early life and education

Myers is from Indianapolis. His father worked as a landscaper and his mother was a school principal. Myers graduated from Shortridge High School when he was 16 years old, from Stanford University when he was 19 years old, and from Harvard Medical School when he was 23 years old. He also attended Stanford's Graduate School of Business, and earned a Master of Business Administration.

Career

Myers served as an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and quality assurance chairman at San Francisco General Hospital.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-17-mn-16576-story.html|title=Indiana's Controversial Health Chief : He's Ready to Shake Things Up|first=Ken|last=Kusmer|agency=Associated Press|date=August 17, 1986|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}

=Health commissioner=

In 1985, Governor Robert D. Orr selected Myers as Indiana's state health commissioner. He weighed {{convert|418|lbs}} when he took the job, but went on a liquid diet. After one year, he weighed {{convert|216|lbs}}.{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/indianas-health-chief-got-sick-of-life-in-the-fat-lane-and-hes-never-svelte-better-vol-28-no-20/|title=Indiana's Health Chief Got Sick of Life in the Fat Lane, and He's Never Svelte Better|first=Michael|last=Neill|work=People|date=November 16, 1987|accessdate=August 8, 2019}} As Indiana's state health commissioner, he supported Ryan White, a teenager with AIDS who had not been permitted to attend school, in his legal challenge against the school board. Myers also supported a law that called for recording the names of those infected with HIV/AIDS and quarantining "recalcitrant carriers" of the disease. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed Myers to the President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-07-24-mn-3657-story.html|title=Reagan Names Panel to Chart Fight on AIDS|first1=James|last1=Gerstenzang|first2=Marlene|last2=Cimons|date=July 24, 1987|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=August 7, 2019}} He resigned later that year in the midst of infighting.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/10/08/top-officers-of-aids-panel-step-down-over-infighting/fff25d18-72c6-43fa-bd6a-3dde8e2408e4/|title=Top Officers of AIDS Panel Step Down Over Infighting|first=Sara G.|last=Boodman |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 8, 1987|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}

In 1990, Mayor David Dinkins appointed Myers as New York City's health commissioner.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/20/nyregion/man-in-the-news-woodrow-augustus-myers-jr-a-commissioner-who-knows-strife.html|title=Man in the News: Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr.; A Commissioner Who Knows Strife|first=Dirk|last=Johnson|date=January 20, 1990|work=The New York Times|accessdate=August 7, 2019}} He resigned in 1991, in part due to opposition to some of his HIV/AIDS policies.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/29/nyregion/amid-discord-myers-quits-as-health-commissioner.html|title=Amid Discord, Myers Quits as Health Commissioner|first=Felicia R.|last=Lee|date=May 29, 1991|work=The New York Times|accessdate=August 7, 2019}} Myers returned to Indianapolis, and worked for Wellpoint, Corizon Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.{{cite news|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/indiana/democratic-business-exec-enters-indiana-governor-s-race/article_2884a78f-a91a-5b0a-bce6-eb2c93d84350.html|title=Democratic business exec enters 2020 Indiana governor's race|first=Tom|last=Davies|agency=Associated Press|website=The Times of Northwest Indiana|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}

Politics

Myers ran as a Democrat for {{ushr|IN|7}} against incumbent André Carson in the 2008 elections. He came in second place in the primary election, receiving 24% of the vote, while Carson received 46%.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/1330-state-by-state|title=State by State|first=The Hill|last=Staff|date=May 7, 2008|website=TheHill|accessdate=August 7, 2019}} In July 2019, Myers announced his candidacy for the 2020 Indiana gubernatorial election.{{cite web|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/elections/2019/07/10/indiana-governors-race-woody-myers-plans-to-make-an-announcement-today/1681445001/|title=Indiana governor's race takes shape as former state health chief Woody Myers jumps in as a Democrat|first=Chris|last=Sikich|work=Indianapolis Star|date=July 10, 2019|accessdate=August 7, 2019}} After his opponents (State Senator Eddie Melton and local business owner Josh Owens) dropped out of the race, he became the only remaining Democrat running for governor in Indiana.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Brandon|date=2020-02-05|title=Owens Drops Out Of Gubernatorial Race; Myers Will Be Democratic Nominee|url=https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/owens-drops-out-of-gubernatorial-race-myers-will-be-democratic-nominee|access-date=2020-06-11|website=WFYI Public Media|language=en-us}} He then became the party's official candidate on June 2, 2020.{{Cite news|title=Live: Indiana State Primary Election Results 2020|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/02/us/elections/results-indiana-primary-elections.html|access-date=2020-06-11|issn=0362-4331}} His running mate was Linda Lawson.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-10|title=Dr. Woody Myers Announces Choice for Lieutenant Governor|url=https://drwoodymyers.com/dr-woody-myers-announces-choice-for-lieutenant-governor/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana|language=en-US}} He ran on a platform of investing in public education,{{Cite web|last=Myers|first=Woody|date=May 10, 2020|title=Investing in Education|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j4uUdVr1KQ|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=YouTube}} climate change reform,{{Cite web|date=2020-04-27|title=Sounding the Alarm on Climate Change Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic|url=https://drwoodymyers.com/sounding-the-alarm-on-climate-change-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana|language=en-US}} and gun regulations.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-21|title=(Op-Ed) Dr. Woody Myers on Gun Violence|url=https://drwoodymyers.com/op-ed-dr-woody-myers-on-gun-violence/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=Dr. Woody Myers for Governor of Indiana|language=en-US}} Myers garned approximately 32% of the vote which marked the worst performance by a Democratic candidate for governor in Indiana history.{{Cite web |title=Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerHistory.html?ContainerID=221 |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

Personal life

Myers is married to his wife, Stacy, and has five children. His son, Zachary A. Myers, is a lawyer and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.