James Edmondson will serve another term as consumer representative on the Virginia State Board of Health.
<1b>By Caroline Chon
<2b>The Connection
<bt>Aside from his day-to-day job at E&G Group, businessman James Edmondson actively pursues other interests that affect him and the community.
Governor Mark Warner reappointed Edmondson as a consumer representative to the Virginia State Board of Health July 22. He previously served one year, and will now serve a four-year term. The board consists of 13 members who meet on average four to five times a year to discuss health issues and formulate various programs.
Edmondson said the board is responsible for making policy and regulatory decisions relating to issues of state health, approving regulations prepared by the Department of Health, and following their work and direction. The primary goal is to reduce chronic illness.
“It’s an important policy issue for local states and government,” Edmondson said. “It has a positive impact on people’s lives politically, economically and socially, and there are important reasons to be involved.
Edmondson served on the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia for 15 years before serving on the State Board of Health. The agency deals with various health affairs, policies, and issues. He said he started to get involved with health issues in the late 1980’s because health care costs were becoming overly expensive, and he wanted to help with creating better health plans and restraining health costs.
“He was very active and influential,” said Dean Montgomery, executive director of the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia. “For most of the time, he was chairman of a project review committee. He was a leader in and above the committee, and was well-informed and knowledgeable.”
Montgomery pointed out that Edmondson works well with a diverse group of people. Working with the agency, he attended public hearings and listened to the interests of citizens, businessmen, health care providers, and companies
For over 20 years, Edmondson has been active with community work in Northern Virginia. He has worked with the Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, and is the president and a board member of a local swimming club.
“[Community service] is just one of those things people are obligated to do,” Edmondson said. “It’s nothing more dramatic than that.”
FROM 1991 TO 2002, he served as President of Cornerstone Housing Corporation, a non-profit affiliate of The Enterprise Foundation, which acquires, develops, and operates many apartments for low and moderate-income households. Now, he is a founding partner of E&G Group, LLC, which serves to provide affordable housing and develop, own, provide rental housing, and operate properties in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Edmondson said Cornerstone Housing and E&G Group have the same, parallel product, but a different ownership format.
“He has so many wonderful qualities,” wife Jane Edmondson said. “He is a man of total honesty and tremendous integrity. He is a man of his word.”
She mentioned that over the 24 years that she has been married, her husband has taught her to be more patient, less worrying, and more positive and optimistic.
They have four children and five grandchildren. Edmondson admits to being a big sports fan, and enjoys golfing, running, and being involved in community activities in his free time.
Growing up in Northern Virginia, Edmondson graduated from George Mason High School. He received his A.B. degree from Princeton University and his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia.
“Northern Virginia is lucky to have a person of knowledge, caliber, quality, and interest to serve on the board,” Montgomery said.