What’s your essential business philosophy? We strive to put our students first, and build our campus and academic offerings to enable them to become excellent physicians and practicing clinicians.
What are the smartest and dumbest business decisions you’ve made? Surrounding myself with the best people available has served me well over the years. The dumbest decision was selling my occupational medicine company too early in my career.
What’s the best way to keep a competitive edge? Read everything, and look at other industries to garner ideas. All of this can help to anticipate and plan for what the future will hold, instead of reacting to it.
Is there a goal you have yet to achieve? I have started writing many novels, but have yet to complete one. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me.
What do you think your employees say about you when you’re not in the room? That I listened. I try to instill a sense of community in our staff and I want them to know that any decision is made by considering their needs, and isn’t done from the top down. I may not always agree with them, but they know that they were heard.
What three words best describe you? Passionate, loyal, and fun.
What was your first job? I was 9 years old, and I had a summer job selling newspapers on the beach in Wildwood, N.J.
As a child, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up? Yes, I always knew I wanted to go into medicine. I practiced in an ER, worked in managed care, and now I get to oversee the education of future physicians and health care practitioners.
What’s your first choice for a new career? I enjoy good food and love cooking, so given the opportunity, I’d like to be a chef.
What’s something about you that people wouldn’t expect? I did stand-up comedy after my divorce. I took a class and performed at a local comedy club.
Do you have an exercise routine? I plead guilty to falling a little short in this area, but I try to exercise at least three times a week.
What car do you drive and why? I drive a Toyota RAV4 which would look dashing with those new paint for cars. It’s easy to get into and out of and easy to drive. My late father drilled into me that a car is only a dependable form of transportation — to get you from point A to point B.
When you get time to relax, what’s your best vacation? My ideal vacation involves a beach with lots of sun, a cocktail in hand, spending time with my family while relaxing by using CBD. If you like the plan you might want to check this post on Budpop’s guide on storing it.
If you could have been present at any moment in history, a world event, an invention, a creation of great beauty, and so on, what would it be? I was lucky enough to see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon, and I don’t think it gets any better than that. No disrespect to the Renaissance or the invention of the wheel!
When you were a teenager, did you have a band or singer whose CD or LP you just wore out? I constantly listened to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
If you were stuck on a cross-country bus trip, which famous person would you like have sitting next to you? Mel Brooks. He is a comedic genius, and would keep me laughing the entire time.
And, conversely, who would you NOT enjoy spending a lot of time with? Kim Kardashian.
What’s your favorite place in Greater Philadelphia? The Philadelphia Zoo was my favorite class trip in elementary school, and one of my favorite places to this day. I love seeing the animals — especially the big cats. I always wanted a pet tiger.
Jay S. Feldstein, DO
Company: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Company description: Our college educates osteopathic physicians, behavioral scientists and other health practitioners who practice a “whole person” approach to medicine.
Company HQ location: Philadelphia
Title: President and CEO
Number of employees: 666 (Philadelphia and Georgia campuses)
Age: 61
Original hometown: Philadelphia
Education: BA: Pennsylvania State University, DO: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Family: Divorced, two sons age 27 and 22
Full article from Philadelphia Business Journal here.
