Michael Jernigan – 2014 nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Community Leadership Award. The success of the healthcare industry depends on leaders who define themselves by leading efforts to change lives and contribute to their communities through their work. But many go above and beyond commitments central to their roles, reaching out to support causes that may be wholly unrelated to healthcare, but which build and sustain strong communities and the quality of life within them. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support. http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/community-leadership

1. June 6,2014
Modern Healthcare Community Leadership Awards
150 N. Michigan Ave., 17ft Floor
Chicago IL,60601-7620
To Whom It May Concern:
I am honored to write a letter of recommendation for Mike Jernigan. As Executive Director
and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston, I have the opportunity to know
many of the leaders in the community. Mike Jernigan stands out as one of the best leaders in
the greater Charleston community.
As a Business Partner of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Mike has done much more than
deliver a company check. Mike is a passionate supporter of our mission to provide a Home
Away from Home to families of pediatric patients. He has helped our organization to connect
with organizations and individuals in the community who have a similar mission and passion
for helping families. Mike's connections have helped the Ronald McDonald House to
provide for emergency housing in the event of a natural disaster. His connections have
provided the Ronald McDonald House with alternative housing in the event that a family
member comes down with the flu and can no longer stay in our facility which houses immune
suppressed children. Other connections provided children's books for our library, supplies
for our Family Room at MUSC, and much needed volunteer stafhng.
Mike has been an imporlant participant in our events, such as the golf toumament and Red
Shoe Gala, helping to make these fundraisers a success. He is currently working to make
connections for an upcoming sporting event that will benefit the community, as well as the
Ronald McDonald House. It is only with the support of individuals such as Mike Jernigan
that the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston is able to serve over 1500 families of
seriously ill children in the past two years.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston and the Charleston community are fortunate
to have a leader like Mike Jernigan whose passion for helping others is making a difference
in the lives of many.
SincerefyiT .. .r'. n ] OLr-^-- x / Barbara A. Bond ' I
i Executive Director and CEO
dR0NALD MCD0NAID
HOUSE CHARITIES
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston
81 Gadsden Street, Charleston, SC 29401
843.723.7957 www.RMHCharleston.org

6. Ask anyone who’s been raised in a small town about their upbringing and they will likely
tell you their character has been uniquely shaped in a way that few might understand
unless they’ve been raised there too. There’s something about small-town living that
creates in people an incredible sense of determination, loyalty, compassion, hard work
commitment and philanthropy- personal values that stick around long after rural living is
gone. J. Michael (Mike) Jernigan, the leader of South Carolina’s largest Medicaid health
insurance company, is a wonderful example of that.
Mike grew up in the tiny town of North, South Carolina. There, he saw the dedication
and compassion of family physicians who worked extremely long hours and cared for
individuals regardless of their ability to pay. Their personal commitment to help others
profoundly impacted Mike and fueled his vision to establish Select Health of South
Carolina, a company that would serve people in much the same way. Through its
Medicaid health plan, First Choice, Select Health provides some of South Carolina’s
most underserved and economically disadvantaged families, mostly children, with their
own personal doctor, expanded Medicaid benefits, and most importantly the dignity and
respect often associated with having private health insurance.
Mike’s concern for the underserved goes well beyond providing access to quality
healthcare. He has sponsored scholarships for graduating seniors at North High School
and helped buy instruments for elementary, middle and high school band students in
North who couldn’t afford to buy their own.
As a professional and fellow North native whose career has been positively influenced
and impacted by Mike’s leadership and support, I believe he is well deserving of Modern
Healthcare’s Community Leadership Award.
Tracy E. Pou
Director, National Health Plan Communications
AmeriHealth Caritas
215.378.0377