Leader of Ventura County Medical Association to retire after 47 years

Mary Carr, who helped guide area doctors through Obamacare, the COVID-19 pandemic and a myriad of other challenges, is retiring after 47 years with the Ventura County Medical Association.

Carr, 70, of Oxnard, announced Monday she will leave as executive director at the end of the year. She is being succeeded by Brian Barry, of Moorpark, former chief of staff at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Founded in 1890, the association serves as an advocate for physicians, patients and medical care. It provides education to doctors on new Medicare mandates, malpractice insurance changes and other issues that affect practices.

The association serves about 400 member doctors and is a charter organization of the powerful California Medical Association.

Carr joined the organization in 1975 and was named executive director in 1995.

Robert Lum, an Oxnard radiation oncologist and longtime member of the association, credited Carr with helping guide doctors through massive changes, including personal protective equipment needs brought on by the pandemic. He said Carr knows everyone in medicine, in and outside of Ventura County.

"It’s the end of an era," he said. "Mary helped us basically get us through the most difficult times."

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Carr said retirement will allow her to spend more time with family. She'll remain involved with the Christian ministry she helped start, the International College of Bible Theology, and its parent organization, American Mission Team.

"It's time for me to go and venture out while I’m healthy and do some other things," Carr said. "I loved being an advocate on behalf of physicians and their patients. I can’t think of anything better I could have had a career at."

Barry started his duties Friday. He was hired from a field of more than 100 applicants, many of them out of state. In addition to leading the chamber, he was also president of corporate solutions at Dale Carnegie of Greater Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, a professional training service.

He's taking on a demanding role, Lum said.

"I would say the challenge for the next person coming is that the government has continued to look at cutting reimbursements to hospitals and physicians as their number one way of lowering medical costs," he said.

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Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.

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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Leader of Ventura County Medical Association to retire