Medical executive could get people to see the best in themselves

Carlo “Carl” Oliverio had a talent for seeing greatness in others and making them see it in themselves.

“He could work an office the way a politician could work a crowd,” said his best friend and colleague, Wallace Gaunter. “He got people to see the best in themselves and the best in others.”

The longtime medical executive died July 27 after an apparent heart attack at his West View home. He was 65.

Although he possessed innumerable skills, it was his insight and advice that Mr. Oliverio will be most remembered for, family members said.

“He was good counsel to a lot of people in a nonjudgmental, respectful way,” said his sister, Diana Hartley of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. “He touched a lot of people by helping them. He was just generous in that way.”

Mr. Oliverio grew up in Sheraden and graduated in 1971 from Holy Innocents High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Duquesne University four years later.

When he was 13, Mr. Oliverio was shot in the arm by a neighbor who was upset about snowballs being thrown by a group of boys. Although he suffered no lasting physical injuries, the incident left him with a scar and an unforgettable story, his sisters said.

Mr. Oliverio worked for a time as a registered nurse at Allegheny General Hospital before deciding to return to school to pursue a career in medical management. He obtained a master’s degree from Duquesne in education and counseling and another from Carnegie Mellon University in public management.

He and Dr. Gaunter met at Allegheny General in July 1977, when Dr. Gaunter arrived in Pittsburgh as a kidney specialist and Mr. Oliverio was managing a kidney dialysis program at the hospital.

“I said, ‘Hello, I’m Dr. Gaunter,’ and Carlo said, ‘Hello, Wally, my name is Carlo,’ and that’s the way it was for the next 40 years,” said Dr. Gaunter, 72, of Franklin Park. “We became the best of friends.”

Mr. Oliverio became close with Dr. Gaunter’s family, baby-sitting some of his nine children when asked, Dr. Gaunter said.

“He spent a lot of time at our house over the years,” he recalled. “He was like a super godfather to all of my children.”

Though the kids loved Mr. Oliverio, his cooking skills could have used improvement, his friend said.

“One time we left for a few days and he cooked chicken for the youngsters, not realizing that you can’t serve raw chicken,” he said, laughing. “The chicken was brown on the outside but pink in the middle. To this day, the children would remind him of it whenever they saw him.”

When his medical practice needed a new administrator in 2008, Dr. Gaunter knew whom to call.

“He was retired for a year or two and I gave him a call and pulled him out of retirement,” Dr. Gaunter said. Mr. Oliverio stayed on for about eight years.

After spending several years as manager of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Allegheny General, Mr. Oliverio went to West Penn Hospital, where he served in several senior management positions from 1987 through 2000, including as executive director of Healthcare System Human Resources.

He was recruited in 2000 to what was then Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he worked as vice president and chief human resource officer until his semi-retirement in 2006.

Mr. Oliverio was known within hospital circles “for his willingness to tackle significant HR issues with large scale strategic initiatives,” according to one industry publication, which highlighted his work at Children’s in 2003. There, he was credited with doubling the number of participants in employee retirement programs through education and new initiatives.

At West Penn, he helped spearhead an effort in 1995 to cross-train staff members with multiple skills in an effort to save long-term costs.

“He really knew people. He knew how to talk to people, how to work with people, and how to get the best from people,” Dr. Gaunter said. “Some doctors have an ego the size of a house, but he could get them to do the things he wanted them to do. He had a way of getting people to laugh at themselves.”

Mr. Oliverio kept up with his former colleagues, meeting once a month for hot wings at a favorite restaurant. Their last meeting was two weeks before his death.

“It was a tradition they started 25 years ago,” Ms. Hartley said.

Mr. Oliverio served as a mentor to younger medical professionals, including his niece, Brittany Nolyn Anderson, who became a nurse practitioner. He was a devoted uncle to Ms. Anderson and his niece Melody Joy Novak.

“He never missed a birthday or a special occasion,” said another sister, Mary Novak of Sheraden. “They were like his kids. He always showered them with gifts. He remembered anything that was going on in their lives.”

“He touched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people,” Dr. Gaunter said. “He will be sorely missed, my best friend.”

Mr. Oliverio was preceded in death by a brother, Salvatore J. Oliverio.

His funeral was held Monday.