By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines
After 20 years of pursuing purpose and her passion Dequise Rose has paved her way to success at Southwest Family Medicine Associates (SFMA) as she has worked her way up from being an hourly employee to becoming the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
“Dequise started out as an hourly employee doing billing and collection. At that time that was all that was expected of her,” said Dr. Crisette Dharma, Director of Southwest Family Medicine Associates. “She moved up to supervisor then she became the office manager.”
According to Dharma, when Rose started she only had a high school diploma. “She later went back to school and got her college degree, while still working full-time. Then a few years later she went back to school again to get her MBA. Now, she holds one of the top positions in our company as COO of our Family Medical Clinic.”
For Rose the pathway to SFMA was paved with divine intervention after she was laid off from a position in the training industry.
“After being laid off, I was not sure what direction I wanted to go in life,” she said. “I always wanted to be in the medical field. My true desire and dream was to become a doctor. I ended up having kids really early in life. So, as women often do I put my life and dreams on hold.”
Determined to get some connection to the medical field, Rose became certified in medical billing and coding. Before she finished training, she had a job with a medical billing and coding company.
In pursuit of connecting with a position that was more aligned with her dream, Rose began looking for positions associated with a doctor’s office. This led her to SFMA. “I realized that just doing medical billing was not enough for me,” she explained. “Dr. Dharma’s office had a position open up. I interviewed for it, along with two other positions. Although one position was five minutes away from my house and both of the other positions offered more money, I took the position with SFMA.
“I am a strong believer in prayer. I pray about the decisions that I make in my life. I truly believe that it was something that led me here, and honestly, that decision has been a blessing,” said Rose.
Over the last two decades, Rose has done some personal development that has helped her carve out her path to success at SFMA. She has gone from making minimum wage to taking home over six figures.
“When I first started, I didn’t have what a lot of people look for when it comes to a director position or COO position. However, I had a lot of determination. Getting my college degree was the first goal on my list once I got my two girls situated,” she explained.
While working full-time at SFMA, she received her undergraduate and MBA degrees from the University of North Texas in Denton.
When I went back to get my MBA, Dr. Dharma didn’t understand why I was doing it, Rose said. “Financially, I was making great money. She told me that most people get degrees to boost their salaries. For me, that was not the case. It was about reaching a goal. I was determined to push myself because I don’t think you can ever stop learning.”
The last 20 years have been full of changes and challenges for Rose and Dharma.
Both women have helped each other through the loss of their mothers. Rose went through a divorce and became a single mom to her two daughters. Through the trials and triumphs, the women have built a bond that has grown and flourished SFMA from a small practice with four employees to a thriving company with 34 employees in the United States and 21 employees in the Philippines and 11 contractors/providers. They have also launched a new office, Southwest Mind and Body (wellness center).
“Dequise has sweat equity in my company. I am grateful for her dedication to the job. She is a part of the reason for our company’s success. I believe that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with,” said Dr. Dharma. “In a culture that encourages job hopping, it is difficult to find people who will stay with a company. I feel grateful to have the kind of longevity that I have with Dequise.” Rose admits that she has had to crack the glass ceiling with her red-bottom designer shoes.
“I think being not just a woman but a Black woman has presented some challenges,” she said. “When I walk into a room with mostly male vendors, they look at me like I don’t know what I am doing. Then I start speaking and they realize that I know what I am talking about. Once they realize that I am well versed and educated, I gain their respect.”
With a commitment to forge ahead to see what the next decade will bring, Dr. Dharma admits that Rose’s honesty and trustworthiness have been the glue that has kept them together.
“I know that I can trust her and I don’t have to follow up on what she is doing. If I close my eyes and fall, I know that she will catch me,” said Dr. Dharma.
In recognition of Rose’s 20 years of service, Dr. Charma presented her with the Chanel Classic Flap handbag which is valued at $10,200. As Rose walked through the room of staff members she was serenaded with their rendition of the song, “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” which was changed to “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”
