Is greatness achieved solely through goal-setting and hard work? Or is it thrust upon someone, forcing him to rise to the challenge? The career of the Rev. Derrick C. DeWitt Sr. seems to show that it comes from both.

The most prominent example has been DeWitt’s journey with the Maryland Baptist Aged Home. The 100-year-old nursing home traditionally serving African-American residents had zero COVID-19 cases during the early stages of the pandemic.

Despite his natural gift in the senior living industry, DeWitt said he got involved “almost accidentally.”

“It was on the verge of closing due to major financial issues,” he recalled of the Baptist Aged Home. “Before I became a pastor, my wife and I had a passion to help revamp and save churches.”

Thanks to that background, he was appointed CFO of Baptist by the church organization that owned the facility.
After the pandemic began, representing the facility in the media became an additional part-time job, yet another unexpected career challenge. Organizations such as LeadingAge asked him to participate in think tanks and panels to help write new policies.

He never aimed to work in long-term care, but DeWitt has a theory about his success, that goes beyond his desire to help others.

“I call it ‘divine secreniscity,’” he said. “It’s not a real word … but it means you take things in your past and mix them with things in your present to bring out your future.”

DeWitt’s past includes a long stint in the Army, where he was promoted six times during his last years of military service. He learned from his military career to rely on his own leadership instincts when it comes to crises. He applied those instincts in his COVID response and at other points in his career.

“Dealing with military generals prepared me for what I was going to face,” he added.

A Baltimore native and licensed pastor, he realized his leadership role in the church needed to become a leadership role in the community to better help the people under his care.

“In Sandtown and Winchester, we have 109 liquor stores but no grocery stores … It’s systematic racism. I spend more time now fighting injustice in our city than being a pastor,” he said.

While embracing unexpected roles, DeWitt also has become skilled in arts as diverse as cooking and comedy. He is an accomplished Italian, barbeque and soul food cook. But practically every cuisine is on the menu in the DeWitt house for Sunday family dinners with his wife, Cassandra, and any of his four children — Breona, 30; Derrick “Deuce” II, 29; Everardo, 28; and Anointe’, 21 — in attendance.

DeWitt also acts as a “professional” but funny MC (typically in senior living-related venues). One facility asked him to speak at an event, and word of his comedic gift soon spread.

DeWitt’s passion for life and for supporting others was apparent from early in his career. But hard work and unplanned life experiences have combined to pave his road to success, one where obstacles continue to become opportunities.

Resume

1992 Earns a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Averett University
1992 – present Is a member of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education
1995 Earns bachelor of divinity degree from Freelandia Bible College
1999 Finishes master’s of divinity and business administration from Freelandia Bible College
2004-2007 Appointed senior team lead at Accenture
2007 – present Serves as senior pastor of the First Mount Calvary Baptist Church
2009 Earns doctorate of theology and Biblical counseling from Freelandia Bible College
2016 – present Is a member of the Clergy United for the Transformation of Sandtown
2016 Named director and CFO of the Maryland Baptist Aged Home
2020 Joins the Institute for HealthCare Improvement

From the October 2022 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News