GREENVILLE, Ohio – The Ohio Ambulance & Medical Transportation Association (OAMTA) has named Brian K. Hathaway, President and CEO of Spirit EMS, as the recipient of the organization’s first-ever OAMTA Spotlight Award, recognizing a career dedicated to emergency medical services, public safety, education, leadership, and community service.
The award honors individuals whose contributions have had a lasting impact on the medical transportation and EMS profession. For Hathaway, the recognition reflects nearly three decades of service spent supporting patients, mentoring future providers, strengthening organizations, and advancing the profession.
Darin Robinaugh, President of OAMTA
“Brian K. Hathaway represents the very best of EMS and medical transportation. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment not only to the patients and communities he serves, but also to the people who work alongside him. Whether through leadership, education, advocacy, or direct service, Brian’s impact has been felt across our profession. It is fitting that he be recognized as the inaugural recipient of the OAMTA Spotlight Award.”
Hathaway’s journey in fire and EMS began in 1996. Since then, he has built a career spanning nearly every aspect of emergency services. While his early career included reporting the news as a newspaper reporter, he eventually decided it was more exciting to help answer the calls that made the news. In 1999, he laid down his pen and camera, picked up a dispatch headset, and joined the Darke County Sheriff’s Office as a 911 dispatcher, a role he continues today. He has also served for 27 years with the Union City Fire Department. Beyond his operational responsibilities and commitment to the OAMTA, Hathaway serves on the Ohio State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services and the Board of Directors of the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, helping shape the future of public safety, healthcare, workforce development, and economic growth throughout the region. Despite leading a growing EMS organization, Hathaway remains actively involved in public safety operations, taking dispatch shifts and maintaining a firsthand connection to the challenges faced by first responders and the communities they serve.
His professional credentials include Advanced EMT, EMS Continuing Education Instructor, Certified Ambulance Coder, Certified Ambulance Compliance Officer, and Certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher, reflecting extensive experience in patient care, education, communications, compliance, and EMS operations. This broad range of expertise has provided Hathaway with a unique understanding of the many moving parts required to deliver high-quality emergency medical services and build strong, sustainable EMS organizations.
In 2006, Hathaway was one of the founders of Spirit EMS, which began with three ambulances and eight part-time employees. Under his leadership, the organization has grown into a healthcare provider serving communities throughout Ohio and Indiana. Today, Spirit EMS operates emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services, workforce development initiatives, community outreach programs, and innovative healthcare partnerships designed to improve access to care in rural communities.
A passionate advocate for EMS education, Hathaway has played a key role in developing pathways for future emergency medical professionals. Spirit EMS has launched an Earn While You Learn EMT Academy that removes financial barriers for individuals interested in pursuing careers in EMS by providing training opportunities in exchange for an employment commitment. The organization has also expanded community CPR, first aid, and public safety education efforts throughout the region.
One of Hathaway’s most ambitious recent projects has been the development of the John & Iris Hathaway Education and Community Center, a facility scheduled to open in October. The center will serve primarily as a home for EMT, Advanced EMT, paramedic, and continuing education programs while also providing space for community events, civic gatherings, and public training opportunities.
Accepting the award, Hathaway emphasized the many people who have supported him throughout his career.
“While I am incredibly humbled to receive this award, I consider it a recognition of the many people who have made this journey possible. It belongs to the dedicated employees, past and present, who have served our communities, the mentors who invested in me, and the countless supporters who believed in our mission. My greatest reward has never been personal recognition. It has been watching others grow, succeed, and find opportunities to make a difference.”
Throughout his career, Hathaway has focused on creating opportunities for others and removing barriers that prevent talented individuals from pursuing meaningful careers in healthcare and public service. Through workforce development initiatives, educational programs, mentorship, and innovative recruitment efforts, Spirit EMS has become known for investing in people and strengthening the future of the EMS profession.
Among those efforts, Spirit EMS was one of the early EMS organizations to recruit experienced paramedics from Australia to help address workforce shortages in the United States. The initiative provided highly qualified clinicians an opportunity to serve American communities in need while building rewarding careers in EMS. For some of those providers, career opportunities in Australia were limited by a competitive job market and the availability of paramedic positions. Hathaway said the program reflects a broader belief that when organizations create opportunities for people to succeed, communities benefit as well.
Reflecting on the recognition and the future of EMS, Hathaway said the award reinforces the importance of continuing to invest in people and communities.
Hathaway said-
“Together, we have worked to build something meaningful, and that mission continues every day as we strive to make tomorrow better than today. Even on the days when the responsibilities seem stacked higher than the heavens, God has a way of reminding us that we are never carrying them alone. The blessings he provides often arrive through the people who stand beside us, support us, and share in the mission. This award is a reflection of those people and our collective commitment to serving others and creating a better future for the communities we call home.”
Julie Rose, Treasurer of OAMTA, said Hathaway’s influence extends far beyond the organizations he has helped build, noting that his commitment to education, workforce development, and creating opportunities for others has left a lasting impact on countless individuals throughout the EMS profession.
Rose said-
“One of Brian’s greatest accomplishments is creating opportunities for others.Whether through education, mentorship, workforce development, or leadership, he has helped countless individuals begin careers, advance professionally, and achieve goals they may never have thought possible. His passion for helping people succeed is evident in everything he does.”
The OAMTA Spotlight Award was established by the Ohio Ambulance & Medical Transportation Association to recognize individuals whose dedication, leadership, and contributions have significantly advanced the EMS and medical transportation profession. Hathaway is the inaugural recipient of the honor.
For Hathaway, however, the recognition remains less about personal achievement and more about the people, partnerships, and shared mission that have defined his career.
Hathaway said-
“This award belongs to every employee, volunteer, mentor, family member, community partner, and supporter who helped make the work possible. Together, we have proven that when people come together with a servant’s heart, great things can happen.”
About Spirit EMS
Spirit EMS was founded in 2006 and is a regional provider of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services serving communities throughout Ohio and Indiana. The organization is committed to excellence in patient care, workforce development, community education, and innovative healthcare solutions that improve access to care in rural communities.
