Honoring the memory of HFMA members: Punches, Phillips, Burchfield and Kazahaya

In memory of Florida Chapter’s Punches

William (Bill) Charles Punches, died on March 6, 2020 in Oviedo, Florida. He was 76. Punches’ accomplishments include: 

• Starting a career at Payco American Corp, where he worked until the company was sold in 1996
• Creating his own healthcare company, Patient Financial Medical Services and remaining president until he sold the company in 2010
• Becoming a consultant for the new ownership of Patient Financial Medical Services
• Being a proud donor to Advent Health and Orlando Health hospitals

In his spare time, Punches enjoyed playing golf, fishing and most of all, his family.

“I was grateful to have known Bill Punches for more than 15 years, as are many of my peers involved with HFMA,” said Donny Zamora, CEO at Invicta Health Solutions in Houston, Texas. “I was honored to attend his celebration of life [in late June] in Orlando. Bill and his family have a long legacy of excellence in healthcare finance. He will be missed by many as a colleague, friend and healthcare servant.”

Remembering Northern California Chapter’s Phillips

Rodney A. Phillips, FHFMA, CPA, died on March 26, 2020, in Beaverton, Oregon. He was 71. Phillips’ accomplishments include:

• Earning his HFMA Fellowship in 1991
• Earning the Follmer Bronze Founders Award in 1997
• Earning the Reeves Silver Founders Award in 2002

Outside of work, he loved vacationing in Hawaii and traveling, most recently to England. He was a World War II plane buff and a proud Air Force veteran. Phillips was previously an Oregon Chapter member but showed interest in the Northern California Chapter and later moved his membership. 

“[Rod] was an active Volunteer Leader for the HFMA Northern California Chapter,” said Walton K. Luke, FHFMA, MBA, Northern California past president 1999-2000, past Region 11 executive 2008-09, Northern California Board advisor 2015-honorary and principal at L.H. & Associates, LLC in Lafayette, California. “Rod will be missed by all of us who knew him, and were involved with him in chapter events, conferences, as well as Board meetings. Rod’s first venture [as a member] was volunteering to become a Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement speaker for one of our Chapter conferences.

Luke had an opportunity to talk to Phillips’ daughter Jen, where the discussion focused on Phillips’ past involvement with Northern California Chapter projects, his growing friendship with a number of Chapter leaders, being asked to serve as a Chapter board member and continuing to speak at Chapter conferences. 

“Rod had looked forward to serving on our Chapter Board of Directors,” Luke said. “On behalf of our Chapter leaders who knew him, we were honored to have him with us and will miss him and his involvement with our chapter.”

In memory of Tennessee Chapter’s Burchfield

David (Doc) Calvin Burchfield, PhD, FHFMA, died on April 9, 2020, in Benton, Arkansas. He was 74. Burchfield’s accomplishments include:

• Being president of the Mid-South Health Care Executives chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives in 2002-03
• Becoming a Fellow of HFMA in 2007
• Earning the Follmer Bronze Founders Award in 2009
• Earning the Reeves Silver Founders Award in 2012
• Earning the Muncie Gold Founders Award in 2013
• Serving as HFMA Tennessee Chapter president in 2014-15
• Receiving the HFMA Tennessee Chapter’s Medal of Honor in 2016

During Burchfield’s tenure at the University of Memphis, a student and a professor achievement award were established in his honor. After 29 years of service, Burchfield retired as a tenured professor in August 2019. A student scholarship fund was established in his honor to provide funding for future Master of Health Administration students.

“Doc was a warm, kind and wonderful person,” said Martha Calfee, Tennessee Chapter president 2015-16, senior manager at Myers & Stauffer, LC. “He never met a stranger. He jumped into and supported HFMA for many years and he was the consummate educator. He had an infectious smile and was always so happy and willing to help in any way that he could. It was a great honor for me to serve with him during many years, but most importantly as his president-elect in 2014-15. He will be greatly missed.” 

Remembering Southern California Chapter’s Kazahaya

Glen I. Kazahaya, died on April 23, 2020, in Torrance, California. He was 69. Kazahaya’s accomplishments include:

• Serving as Southern California Chapter president in 1983-84
• Earning the Follmer Bronze Founders Award in 1984
• Earning the Reeves Silver Founders Award in 1987
• Earning the Muncie Gold Founders Award in 1993
• Receiving the Southern California Chapter’s Medal of Honor in 1998
• Winning the hfm 2019-20 Helen Yerger/L. Vann Seawell Best Article Award in June 2020

Read Kazahaya’s HFMA articles published on hfma.org:

• “‘Medicare for all,’ is not equitable for all hospitals”
• “A single-payer system based on Medicare rates poses inherent challenges”

In his free time, Kazahaya enjoyed UCLA and California Golden Bears football and basketball, the NBA Lakers basketball, wine Friday get-togethers, listening to and singing music and taking pictures to add to a DVD with music to keep memories alive.

“I worked with Glen back in the 1980s at Northridge Hospital,” said Victoria Morgan, FHFMA, Southern California Chapter past president 2000-01, director of revenue cycle at Tahoe Forest Hospital District in Truckee, California. “He was our So Cal Chapter president around that time and he always was a champion for helping individuals like myself, [those] just out of college as we started our careers in healthcare finance. When I became Chapter president, he was one of the first [people] to congratulate me and offer support in whatever I needed. Always willing to share his expertise, he was a regular speaker at Chapter events. He will be missed.”