2026 Business Leaders of the Year: K. Patrick Douglas

K. Patrick Douglas is president of law firm Douglas, Haun & Heidemann PC – established in 1912 and growing ever since.

“More than the growth itself, I am proud that we have sustained the quality of service our clients depend on throughout it,” he says.

To Douglas, leadership is about doing the right thing, even when it is hard.

“My primary belief is that a great leader should exemplify the conduct you want modeled within your organization,” he says.

Part of that, he says, is standing behind one’s work and making a client whole when the firm has made a mistake.

Another part is valuing team members.

“I have had the opportunity to learn from many great leaders throughout my career, and all of them genuinely valued the contributions of every team member and understood each person’s importance to the organization,” he says.

That’s an approach that establishes a unique culture, according to Douglas.

“For leaders who truly value each team member and their contributions to the organization, a culture develops that creates a different kind of work environment,” he says. “Byproducts of this culture are inclusivity, engagement, higher job satisfaction and lower job turnover.”

In addition to his company leadership, Douglas has also been on the board of directors of Citizens Memorial Hospital for 15 years – the last eight as president.

CMH is the largest employer in the Bolivar area with more than 2,000 employees, Douglas notes, and during his time as president, he has helped to lead several key advancements in the organization.

Of particular note is a $100 million hospital expansion – a three-story, 117,000-square-foot addition that doubled the size of CMH while moving every patient into a private room and nearly tripling the size of the emergency department.

“The importance of the overhaul of the physical hospital that we are providing to our community cannot be overstated,” he says.

He added that what is effectively a new hospital building improves the quality of care for the Bolivar community and serves as a recruitment tool for healthcare professionals.

Douglas takes personal pride in another set of achievements: his two children, both of whom graduated as valedictorians of Bolivar High School – and, he says, people who carry themselves with integrity while cultivating positive, supportive relationships.

In short, community is key for Douglas. In addition to leading the law office his grandfather founded and serving as president of a hospital board, he also serves as president of the board for the Industrial Development Authority of Bolivar and a board member of the Bolivar Economic Development Alliance, and he has been an active member of the Bolivar Rotary Club for more than two decades.