180 | Business World Magazine |
April 2014
W
.J. Cheek, or “Bill,” as he’s
known to everyone he meets,
is in the ambulance business.
But after interacting with him for no more
than five minutes, it becomes clear that the
passion he feels for both his customers – and
the communities that he serves – is authentic
enough that it would translate well to what-
ever occupational endeavor he found him-
self involved in. “It’s been our mindset to be
a part of the community since day one,” he
says, now 19 years and a few days into own-
ership of Heartland EMS, which went live
on March 1, 1995. “That’s what we know.
We’re invested in these places and the peo-
ple who live there rely on that. We staff from
within the counties we serve, so it’s home to
our employees. They’re taking care of fam-
