SOUTH BEND, IN, August 18, 2023 - Michael J. Wargo has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A respected healthcare and foundation executive, Mr. Wargo has been central to the success of the Hospice Foundation in South Bend, Indiana, as the organization's founding chairman in 2007 and as vice president and chief operating officer since 2008. Among a myriad of responsibilities, he provides oversight that drives change and focuses heavily on providing the nonprofit with a strategic vision.
The Hospice Foundation was launched in 2007 in South Bend, Indiana, as a supporting foundation of the Center for Hospice Care, an independent, community-based nonprofit founded in 1978 to improve the quality of living via hospice, home health, grief counseling, and community education. Mr. Wargo recently accepted, on behalf of the organization, the American Hospital Association's (AHA) prestigious Circle of Life of Award for innovation in palliative and end of life care at AHA's annual conference in Seattle.
Grateful for the opportunity to have led the Hospice Foundation's development and growth since its inception, Mr. Wargo anticipates future programmatic expansion of the Center for Hospice Care's various service lines as the Baby Boom Generation continues to age. Aside from his work at the Hospice Foundation, Mr. Wargo has provided consultative services to more than 100 other non-profit hospice and palliative care organizations throughout the U.S. and around the world, principally as chief operating officer of Global Partners in Care. In addition, he provides consulting and master planning services for hospice programs contemplating construction and fundraising for new hospice campuses, including design of inpatient units, palliative care centers and modern office spaces. As an extension of his work in the international arena, he has produced and directed both short- and feature-length documentary films about the delivery of hospice and palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa, garnering 31 awards and 13 nominations for his creative efforts.
Prior to joining the Hospice Foundation, Mr. Wargo was an entrepreneur and spent his early career working in the higher education, banking and hospitality industries. As president of Wargo Enterprises, Inc. for 10 years, he was engaged in a broad range of entrepreneurial ventures throughout northern Indiana, including Career Transitions, Human Resource Solutions, ECI Insurance Services, Electronic Commerce Inc., Employee Management Professionals and the All American News Stand. As a founding partner of Michigan Street LLC, he was involved in the restoration and redevelopment of the historic American Trust Company building and development of a new mixed-use complex, American Trust Place, in downtown South Bend. He was the first college director at the South Bend campus of ITT Technical Institute and served as chairman of the School of Business at Michiana College. He was vice president of human resources at Quality Dining, Inc. and was an officer of Valley American Bank & Trust Company, Midwest Commerce Bank and National Bank of Detroit. Over the years, Mr. Wargo has served as president or board chair of numerous non-profit organizations, including the American Institute of Banking, IU South Bend Alumni Association, Northern Indiana Workforce Investment Board, Workforce Development Group, Business Development Corporation, Center for Hospice Care and the Hospice Foundation. In addition, he has served on the board of directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Michiana Public Broadcasting Corporation, 1st Source Bank Business Advisory Board, South Bend Parks Foundation and the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. A decorated veteran of the United States Air Force, Mike served with the 343rd Combat Support Group and was one of the founding members of the 168th Air Refueling Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard and served as commander and adjutant of Granger American Legion Post 151 for more than 20 years.
Mr. Wargo earned an associate of science in criminal justice and a bachelor's degree in general studies, with a concentration in political science and a minor in history from Indiana University in 1981 and 1982, respectively. He attended graduate school at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the University of La Verne, ultimately earning certificates in nonprofit executive leadership and executive fund development leadership from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
As a testament to his success, Mr. Wargo received the Zachary Morfogen Art of Caring Award from the National Hospice Foundation in 2012. He was previously honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University South Bend in 2010, the President's Award from the Indiana University Alumni Association in 2001, and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Indiana University School of Continuing Studies in 1999.
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