Our latest Acadian Alumni Association spotlight is no stranger to any Acadian employee-owner or alum. We check in with one of our company’s longest-serving employees.
Nearly 44 years ago, a 19-year-old sat in the back of an ambulance, shadowing his friend who recently became a paramedic. In awe of emergency medicine and with a passion for helping others, Jerry Romero pursued his education as an EMT and started a long and truly admirable journey that would eventually earn him the role as president of Acadian Ambulance.
“I was looking for a career,” Jerry said, “and I really wanted to work for Acadian. I loved the structure, I was drawn to thrive in an environment that had structure.”
As a teenager fresh out of high school, Jerry had no idea just how much he would thrive at Acadian. After becoming an EMT, he attended Acadian’s EMT- I class, followed immediately with Acadian’s first paramedic class in 1978. His commitment to the mission, along with his admirable work ethic, led to a promotion to dispatch, where he began to steadily advance in leadership.
“I loved the mission of Acadian: saving lives, serving others, but also the feeling of camaraderie, the feeling of being on a team,” Jerry stated.
By the late 90s, Jerry was promoted to VP. In 2006, he set his eyes on the Texas market. Looking back, Jerry says Acadian’s expansion into Texas is his proudest accomplishment of his career. “It changed so many families, how they moved to Texas and started new lives. There were so many promotions, and so many were positively impacted.”
During this interview, Jerry’s grandchildren could be heard playing in the background. They are overjoyed to have their beloved “Pops” home with them, he said. After more than four decades of service, he is truly enjoying his well-earned retirement.
Jerry leaves this advice for those still in the workforce: “Learn your job. Do it well. Show up on time. Be respectful, humble and kind to your patients, to your coworkers, to law enforcement, hospitals, everyone. And always look for opportunities to make yourself better. Never stop learning.”
