Dr. Gary Knepp to be Speaker at Fall 2019 Commencement

Methodist College will honor its Fall 2019 semester graduates at a commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m. at Bethany Baptist Church, 7422 North Heinz Lane, Edwards, Illinois. The Fall 2019 class includes graduates in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Health Science, and Medical Assistant Certificate programs.

The keynote speaker will be Gary L. Knepp, D.O., FACOFP, Vice President, Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer at UnityPoint Health – Central Illinois. Dr. Gary Knepp is from the Eureka/Washington area and attended Illinois Central College. He transferred to and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and then worked for Caterpillar Tractor Company. He pursued his interest in medicine by attending the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his postgraduate training at the Chicago Osteopathic Hospital. He is board certified in Family Medicine with a sub-specialization in Geriatrics. Dr. Knepp practiced for 22 years in Eureka, Illinois, progressing from solo practice to the formation of a group practice to President of BroMenn Medical Group in Normal, Illinois.

In 2007, Dr. Knepp served as the Professor of Geriatrics and Assistant Regional Dean at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2011, he returned to Central Illinois to serve as the Osteopathic Director of Medical Education and Osteopathic Program Director at the University of Illinois Family Medicine Residency. In 2012, he was appointed Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for UnityPoint Health – Methodist and President of UnityPoint Clinics. In 2015, while retaining the role of Chief Medical Officer, he exchanged his clinic president role for the role of Chief Quality Officer for UnityPoint Health – Methodist ? Proctor. In 2017, Dr. Knepp was appointed to the role of Regional Chief Quality Officer for UnityPoint Health.

Methodist College, an affiliate of UnityPoint Health, can trace its history to 1900 when the deaconesses of the Methodist Episcopal Church opened the Deaconess Home and Hospital and its School of Nursing. In March 2000, Methodist College was established and has grown to an enrollment of almost 700 students with bachelor degree programs in nursing, social work and health science; certificates in nursing assistant, medical assistant, and gerontology; and four programs within the master’s degree in nursing.