Since 1975, there have been countless doctors, nurses, executives, and patients at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. However, there has only been one James Brown.
Brown has been a consistent presence at the hospital for 50 years. The 76-year-old supply chain distribution specialist has never missed a day of work, showing up five days a week — weekends and holidays included — without ever taking a sick day.
“I truly don’t think there’s a harder worker in this hospital besides JB,” Supply Chain Operations Coordinator Steven Smalley said. “I’ll be here late at night, and I still see him walking the halls. I’m like, oh my gosh, he got me again.”
In August, hospital officials honored Brown for his remarkable devotion and the example he sets for colleagues. Smalley said Brown’s impact goes far beyond his job description.
“The best thing about JB, besides being very good at his job, is his consistent work ethic that anybody can learn from,” Smalley said. “He does what needs to be done and then goes the extra mile for patients and the people around him.”
Brown’s journey began in 1975, when he applied to what was then Lake Forest Hospital. (LFH joined Northwestern Medicine in 2010.) An Alabama native weighing just 110 pounds at the time, he was hired to wash linens and clothes. His supervisor doubted he could handle the heavy machines.
“He said he didn’t think I could do it,” Brown recalled. “And I just said, give me one chance and I’ll show you. He gave me that chance, and I’ve done it for 50 years.”
Now part of the Linen Services team, Brown delivers sheets, gowns, and other supplies across the hospital. He commutes from North Chicago, starting shifts as early as 4:30 a.m. on weekends. Along the way, he’s become something of a celebrity among coworkers.
He gets a “Good morning, JB!’ from so many people, including nurses, as he makes his rounds. “That makes me feel good,”
The longtime Milwaukee Bucks and Kansas City Chiefs fan says one of his favorite moments is seeing patients discharged after long stays. He’s even kept in touch with some after they’ve gone home.
Brown also recalls unique challenges, like retrieving a lost camera from a hospital drain, or adjusting when the old facility closed in 2018 and the modern hospital opened. While he admits he misses the food at the old building, he’s grateful he no longer has to push supplies through snow and rain.
Brown’s dedication has earned him admirers across the hospital, including Dr. Aaron Epstein, LFH’s chief of staff.
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Epstein said he first noticed Brown pushing a big laundry cart uphill across a parking lot, and they have been friendly ever since.
“He’s vital to the organization because he is literally entwined in the fabric of our hospital. He brings every gown, sheet, pillowcase, and everyone needs, and they have all gone through his hands literally,” Epstein said. “While (the hospital) has put on new additions and pavilions, some things stay the same. James makes that big hospital feel small, where everyone knows James Brown.”
Epstein believes Brown’s dedication delivers a message to all employees.
“Health care is not an easy job right now in our society. You hear about young people wanting their freedom and their holidays and weekends off. Then you look at a guy like James Brown, who has worked every single weekend for the past 50 years. It’s really inspirational for all of us to see someone like this who has worked this long and been this important for our institution.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.