Earl L. Walz, CEO (and Chief Enjoyment Officer), to Retire

It’s common for new retirees to embrace the lighter side of life once they leave. However, Earl managed to do that throughout his 29 years with The Urology Group. His endless wit boosted the moods of co-workers whenever he walked the halls (he’s a disciple of ‘management by walking around’) and will be noticeably missed when he retires this month.

Earl’s urology-related career began in the mid-1990s when he left Hoxworth Blood Center after 16 years to merge seven Greater Cincinnati urology practices into one comprehensive organization. The Urology Group was officially born in June 1996 and Earl was named Chief Operating Officer, later becoming its Chief Executive Officer. Since then, he’s made roughly 15,080 trips to and from his home in Northern Kentucky to Norwood, filling his drive time not with talk radio or music from The Who (a band he’s seen in concert 25 times). “I’ve used that time for prayer,” he divulges.

­Thanks in great part to Earl’s leadership, The Urology Group is now one of the largest single-specialty groups of urologists in the United States, with just over 40 physicians, providing the most advanced urologic medical and surgical care to patients throughout the tristate.

“Earl’s leadership has left an indelible mark on The Urology Group. His vision and deep commitment to both our patients and our people have guided us through tremendous growth and change. We are grateful for the legacy he leaves and the strong foundation he built for our future,” said Dr. Gary Kirsh, president of The Urology Group.

Throughout his career, Earl’s leadership skills have made an impact beyond the Greater Cincinnati healthcare scene. In 2008 he helped found the Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA), along with Dr. Kirsh. Earl served as treasurer and a member of the LUGPA board for six years. Today LUGPA represents more than 150 independent urology practices.

Closer to home, Earl also was a founder and first president of Greater Cincinnati’s Independent Physicians Collaborative (IPC). In its 11 years, IPC has grown to more than 650 independent physicians working together to ensure patients receive the highest quality, most convenient, and most cost-effective healthcare options available.

Earl’s reputation for lightening the mood is well known and respected throughout The Urology Group’s offices. “Humor helps neutralize the day-to-day emotional seriousness of what we’re doing. I think it’s wise for leadership to inject some fun into the day and not always be so serious,” he said.

Ask any staff member and they’re likely to describe him as outgoing, friendly, genuine, and very honest…and note his unique ability to remember a person’s name.

In retirement, Earl and his wife of 38 years, Georgiana, look forward to spending more time with their three adult children, Earl, Alexandra, and Conrad, and soon-to-be two grandsons. The couple plan to devote more time to managing their ranch in Williamstown, Kentucky in retirement.

When Earl walks out The Urology Group’s doors for the last time this month, he’ll also retire what his family calls his “uniform”: grey slacks, blue blazer, and oxford button-down. As his co-workers are well aware, Earl’s uniform is never complete without cufflinks that carry a significance all their own. His signature cufflinks (of which he has thousands of pairs) tell the story-of-the-day, whether news, pop culture, sports, or music.

“I wore my Black Sabbath cufflinks to honor Ozzie when he recently passed away. I wear my Joe Nuxhall cufflinks on Joe’s birthday every July.” He proudly admits he maps out his daily choice of cufflinks a full month in advance and loves their attention-getting effect.

When asked to reflect on his biggest accomplishment since the formation of The Urology Group, Earl proudly says, “the transition of almost three generations of doctors who have joined our group over the years. As one doctor retires, he or she has been replaced with even brighter young talent. It’s been a joy to witness.”

What will Earl miss most in retirement? He quickly replies, “That’s a simple answer. The people. I’ll miss the people. The relationships. The friendships. These I will miss dearly.”

We’ll miss you too, Earl!