Veterans affairs maryland health care system director receives prestigious public service award | va maryland health care | veterans affairs

Baltimore , MD — Jonathan R. Eckman, P.E., director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Maryland Health Care System, is this year’s recipient of the American Veterans (AMVETS) 38th Annual PNC A.

Leo Anderson Memorial Free State Award of Excellence. Presented annually, the Free State Award of Excellence was designed to recognize a Maryland citizen who has “exemplified themselves with

excellence in performing outstanding public service to the state of Maryland.” For the past 38 years, the AMVETS has been recognizing Maryland citizens such as former Maryland Governor

William Donald Schaefer; former Senator Barbara A. Mikulski; and former Representative Helen D. Bentley; among others for their selfless dedication to making improvements throughout the

state. This year, Eckman is the recipient of the award for “performing admirably, not only meeting the needs of the pandemic crisis, but building a forward-looking system for veterans’

health care across the state of Maryland.”  Composed of American veterans who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during and since World War II, AMVETS was

established to, among other things, maintain friendships and associations among veterans, preserve the fundamentals of democracy, and to safeguard the principals of freedom.  “It’s an honor

to receive this recognition and be counted among so many amazing Marylanders,” Eckman said. “Providing my fellow veterans with the top-notch health care that they have earned is satisfaction

enough for me, but this award is a welcomed bonus.”    Eckman, who was named as director of the VA Maryland Health Care System in 2021, served as the health care system’s associate director

for operations in 2020 and the associate director for finance in 2017. Prior to his leadership roles at the VA Maryland Health Care System, Eckman served as the executive assistant to the

deputy network director for the VA Capitol Health Care Network, as well as the acting deputy network director from 2016-2017. He also served as the associate medical center director at the

Coatesville VA Medical Center in Coatesville, Pennsylvania from 2012-2016. From November 2013 through June 2014, he served as the acting medical center director at the Coatesville VA Medical

Center.  Eckman began his VA career in 2008 as a project engineer at the Perry Point VA Medical Center. In 2010, he was promoted to the Project Section supervisor, followed by the

appointment as the executive assistant to the associate director for finance for the VA Maryland Health Care System. In his role as director of the VA Maryland Health Care System, Eckman is

responsible for the management and oversite of three medical centers and five community-based outpatient clinics located throughout the state. In this capacity, he oversees the delivery of

health care services to more than 57,000 veterans annually by a dedicated team of over 4,100 clinical, technical, administrative, and support personnel who are specially training to service

the unique needs of Maryland’s veterans. Eckman, who is a U.S. Army veteran, earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Engineering in Project Management from

the University of Maryland. He lives in Harford County with his wife and family.