By Logan B. Anderson

GEORGETOWN — Economy, equity and education were the themes of this year’s Sussex County Today and Tomorrow Conference.

The annual gathering was held virtually Wednesday and in person at Delaware Technical Community College’s Owens Campus in Georgetown. The summit, sponsored by DelTech and the Sussex County Today and Tomorrow Committee, brings together Sussex County leaders and stakeholders to showcase new initiatives, identify needs and stimulate action.

Dr. David Tam, president and CEO of Beebe Healthcare, was the keynote speaker of this year’s event.

Dr. Tam started his new job on March 17, 2020. He came to Delaware from California where he worked as a health care executive with large public health systems and is a retired U.S. Navy officer.

“I’ve been here for 20 months, so that still makes me a tourist,” said Dr. Tam as he opened his remarks to a laugh from the crowd.

Dr. Tam crafted his remarks around the event’s theme — economy, equity and education — from the health care perspective, but he began with data from the most recent census.

“There is nothing slower about lower Delaware.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sussex County’s population is expected to reach about 262,000 in the next four years. The county is currently at a population of about 230,000. There are about 970,000 people in the state.

“We are the largest-growing county by population with an increase of 20.4%. That number is going to continue to grow in the future,” Dr. Tam said.

As the population grows, so will the need for medical and mental health services.

“Health care has a huge role to play in the economy,” Dr. Tam said.

He offered northwest Arkansas as an example of the connection between health care and economic growth. That part of the state is the corporate home to Walmart. The retailer is a large part of the area’s economic landscape, but according to Dr. Tam, leaders in Arkansas put their heads together to create an economic backup plan for their region.

“They asked, ‘What happens if Walmart left.’” he said.

Their answer was to look at health care as an economic engine. Now the area is home to several medical research and education facilities. He thinks Sussex County should do the same.

“An economic driver would be a medical school,” Dr. Tam said. “You don’t need a university hospital. We have everything we need here.”

When it comes to equity, Dr. Tam said, the county needs to embrace its changing community.

Sussex County is growing by measures than just population, Dr. Tam said. Delaware’s lower county is also growing in diversity — race, gender identity, LGBTQ and other ways.

“We are growing in terms of diversity and complexity,” Dr. Tam said.

The Beebe Healthcare leader said he is working to meet the changes in diversity by hiring medical and professional staff members who look like the changing residents of Sussex County.

Dr. Tam said Beebe, like other area health care systems, are already making investments in education with residency and nursing programs but suggests that the county should look into more opportunities for Sussex County’s future.