David Herman brings nearly 40 years’ worth of clinical credibility to his role as board chair for the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA). An ophthalmologist and the president and CEO of Duluth-based Essentia Health, Herman is also a noted advocate for Minnesota health care. “Herman is firm in his belief that a person’s ZIP code should never determine the quality of their health care,” says Rahul Koranne, president and CEO of the St. Paul-based MHA. “He’s brought this principle to the Minnesota Hospital Association,” which works to support Minnesota hospitals and health systems. Herman has also testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on rural health care and worked with state lawmakers to sustain the work of hospitals and clinics amid growing uncertainty, Koranne notes.