Our Leadership
Greater Ozarks-Arkansas
W. Howie Walz
Mid-America Division Vice President
W. Howie Walz joined the American Red Cross in 2002 after a successful 20-year career leading non-Red Cross blood and biological organizations. He held the position of chief executive officer of the Red Cross Lewis and Clark Blood Services Region for three years prior to becoming the vice president of the Mid-America Blood Services Division in 2005. As vice president, Walz is responsible for management and oversight of the Divisions’ eight Red Cross Blood Services Regions, which span the central United States from Texas to Minnesota. The Division collects more than 1 million red cell and 200,000 platelet donations annually, and serves more than 500 hospitals and transfusion centers.
Michele Wright, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Michele Wright joined the American Red Cross Greater Ozarks-Arkansas Blood Services Region in 2012. Before coming to the Red Cross, she enjoyed a successful 15-year career in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields. Wright’s extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry combined with her background in compliance, regulatory affairs, customer service and sales bring a unique focus and experience to meet the needs of the hospitals and patients served by the Red Cross. Wright earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Tuskegee University, a Master of Science degree in industrial engineering/engineering management from the University of Tennessee Space Institute and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in public policy from the University of Arkansas.
David C. Mair, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Mair provides medical and scientific oversight to the Reference and Neutrophil Laboratories in the North Central Region and serves as an assistant medical director of the transfusion service and the therapeutic apheresis departments at the University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview in Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Veteran’s Hospital. Dr. Mair is a published transfusion-medicine expert and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for Immunohematology, Journal of Clinical Apheresis, Transfusion, and Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine publications.
