A Look Back at 20 Years with MTM

Anniversaries are a time for reflection. This month, I’m celebrating 20 years at MTM, Inc. , a company that I literally watched grow from concept to industry leader—and there is plenty to reflect on.

In 1995, my father and step-mother, Lynn and Peg Griswold, recognized the need for high quality, centrally managed transportation services in the healthcare industry, particularly for Medicaid and Medicare plans that serve members who have no way to get to medical care on their own. This service quickly became known as non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), and there was a huge gap in the market. Peg and Lynn were entrepreneurs looking for a way to better provide for their kids, and they took a risk when they started MTM in June of 1995. That first month, MTM arranged just 299 trips and had a staff of eight subcontracted customer service representatives. Soon, they landed their first big contract with the state of Missouri, and the rest is history. Now, we have a staff of nearly 3,000 and provide more than 20 million trips annually in 35 states and the District of Columbia.

When Peg and Lynn started MTM, I was in college and watching from the sidelines. By 2003, I had earned my MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and had been working at another large St. Louis-based company for a year when Peg and Lynn approached me to take on a leadership role at the family company. I was excited to put my MBA to work and more than ready to take a leap of faith and join MTM. Peg had worked tirelessly to grow the business and was ready to start planning for retirement. MTM had grown fast and was leadership-starved; by 2005, I was named CEO.

A lot has changed since I came on board at MTM—but a lot has stayed the same. As an industry, NEMT has evolved drastically over the past few decades. What once was managed by incredibly manual processes is now automated and backed by real-time GPS monitoring, self-service technology that allows members to manage trips from their mobile device, and robust reporting that allows our clients to make meaningful decisions about their NEMT programs. In many cases, MTM has led the evolution and expanded to meet our clients’—and their members’—ever changing needs and expectations for innovation, technology, and quality care. Over the years, we have elevated the level of service expected for NEMT rides, setting standards and fostering the expectation for quality, compassion, and innovation.

While much has changed since our start, our culture and Midwestern values have kept us on track. Since the beginning, MTM has led with an innovative spirit, building the first transportation management network of its kind in Missouri. Over the years, our company has branched into other regions with the same mindset, always looking for new opportunities and methods to improve community access. The chance to be a part of this movement is what drives our employees to show up every day.

Today, we deliver more than 20 million rides each year. And yet, every single one of those is important. Every member matters. And that’s something that will never change as we look to the next 20 years and beyond.?