In Memory

Mike Glass

Mike Glass

A Dr. Robert Fineman from the UW contacted me to let me know of Mike's unfortunate passing. He also said I should "google" Mike's name to see what an amazing career he had. So below is what I found and yes, Mike had an amazing career.

 

Michael (Mike) Glass retired in April 2014 following a career of nearly 45 years with the Department of Health. The majority of his career was spent with the Newborn Screening Program where he began in the laboratory then spent nearly 20 years as the program’s director. He enjoyed a long and successful history of bringing new processes, technology and new conditions into Washington’s Newborn Screening Program.

When he began the program was screening for a single disorder: phenylketonuria (PKU). He was in supervisory, then management, then the director’s role throughout the growth and development of the program beginning with the introduction of radio immunoassay (RIA) technology to screen babies for congenital hypothyroidism in the 1970s. In the 1980s he oversaw the development and implementation of the nation’s first universal screening test for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The addition of isoelectric focusing, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed in the early 1990s.

Under his leadership Washington became the first newborn screening program in the country to adopt PCR/DNA methods to improve the sensitivity and specificity of screening tests. Mike was awarded the first of the annual Governor’s Distinguished Management Sustaining Leadership Awards in 1992. Mike retired in 2000 but was soon back part-time working on major policy issues affecting the program including significant work with the Board of Health in reviewing privacy protections for babies and parents impacted by the screening program and a comprehensive review of candidate conditions for addition to the screening panel. Then, in 2002 he applied for and was awarded the Director position once more.

Following this, directed by the Board’s decision to add the conditions to the screening panel, he oversaw the expansion of the program to include biotinidase deficiency, galactosemia, cystic fibrosis, and 17 disorders of amino acid, fatty acid, and organic acid metabolism. The later conditions required successful adaptation of the equipment, training, and protocols needed to implement the complex technology of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). During his tenure he participated in, and facilitated numerous research projects aimed at improving child health through the use of the dried blood spot specimens that are collected for routine screening. At the time of his retirement, he was co-investigator of a highly successful project demonstrating the feasibility of adapting a unique MS/MS technology for detecting lysosomal storage diseases to use for detecting these diseases through universal newborn screening. Over this expansion and development he also had primary responsibility and great success shepherding the policy, political and legal processes required to add new conditions to Washington’s screening panel.

The Washington program is somewhat unique in that all of the state components, including laboratory and program follow-up, are under a single administrative unit which he directed since the separate components were merged in 1993. Thus, he has a keen appreciation and understanding of the importance of each part of the system to achieving success in saving babies through the newborn screening processes. Under his leadership Washington developed a comprehensive newborn screening program that is respected throughout the country and beyond.



 
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01/05/16 11:32 AM #1    

Dick Mills

Mike is another of my friends from elementary school til high school. He always seemed like a compassionate person. He lived his life working to save more children. Wonderful legacy.


01/05/16 11:33 AM #2    

Frann (Frances Gonzales (Todd)

Due to proximity of our last names (Glass, Gonzales), had the opportunity to interact with Mike mainly in study hall and did not have any classes with him.  After reading through his accomplishments, I can see him taking the science courses and sadly Biology was my only science course.  Very saddened to read about Mike's passing, as well all the others in our class.  RIP . . . my friend


01/05/16 12:55 PM #3    

Craig Oakley

Mike lived just a couple of blocks away from me in Skyway, I think on 75th.  We went to Lakeridge Elementary and Dimmitt Junior High together but probably were closest friends while going to elementary school.  I remember Mike as a bit rebelious and pretty much taking his own path.  Mike was a pretty smart guy and that probably had something to do with him choosing his own way.  I was saddened to hear Mike has left us.  Thinking of him brings back many fond memories of growing up and running around the neighborhood.  Good bye, Mike.


01/05/16 04:49 PM #4    

Helen Shamek

I remember Mike from Junior High and Hidh School. Little did I know that all of those newborn baby blood spot samples that I collected as a nurse actually kept me connected to him.  What an amazing accomplishment and contribution to newborn health and survival!  R.I.P. Mike


01/05/16 07:17 PM #5    

Ron Mattson

Mike and I were "buds" in grade school until we got into a little trouble in 4th grade or so. Mom prohibited me from associating with him, then! Fast forward to High School when he was dating Ligita Riekstins (now his widow) and Ligita's 'cousin', Astrida Bramanis, would sit with them at lunch. I worked in the cafeteria and told Mike he needed to introduce me to Astrida.

Fast forward to Junior year at U of W and Mike and I carpooled to campus for a year and a half. After graduation, I went off to law school and he did his thing with the County "Water Lab" in the Smith Tower. I helped him with his research for his MS (I think that was what he was working on) and we'd go set drift nets in Green Lake and he would analyze the fish caught). We took up hunting together (deer and elk). Rifle at first, then he got into archery and we both moved over to strictly archery hunting.

Mike fished like nobody else in the world. He would catch steelhead (a very difficult fish to hook, let alone, land!) and, if they weren't too tuckered out from the fight (and, especially if they were hens), he'd release them so they could spawn! Fishermen would see him do that and scream at him in disgust--"I can't even hook one and you're lettin' 'em go?!!"

I had to give up hunting when alcohol became too much of that activity for me. But Mike carried on until he could no longer pull the bow. He'd had a boat for quite a few years (the very style I would have chosen if I'd been able to afford it at the time!) and fished out of it all the time. He and Ligita would go to Uclulet up on the Southwest side of Vancouver Island (a major trek in itself, towing a boat!). They'd put the boat in and head out to sea--REALLY, the Pacific Ocean-- and fish all day. They always came back with more fish than I could count!

I could go on and on. When I moved to our current house, Mike and I would waterski until we could barely stand up. Then we'd rest a minute and do it all over again! Man, we had some good times! And, while I knew where he worked and stopped in to see him frequently (most of his staff knew me pretty well), I was amazed at some of the stuff he had done. I knew he was well liked and well-regarded by his department, but until I read the obit that was written by them, I had little idea of the things he had achieved professionally! It was a part of his modesty; he had a job and he excelled at it. And there are thousands of people born in this State during his tenure who have him to thank for a healthy life due to his conscientious approach to his duties.

What took Mike out was myeloma. The only good news that can be said about this is that, from diagnosis to death was about two months; so he did not have a long, painful, lingering battle. He was one helluva guy. He treated Ligita's two kids by her prior marriage (Mark and Daira) like he was their Dad and they reciprocated the feelings. I can't think of a nicer man I've had the pleasure to know. I am glad I had the time I did with him and, of course, wish that I had more. 

There will be a memorial for Mike at the Latvian Center, 11710 3rd Ave NE., Seattle 98175 (5 - 6 blocks North of Northgate) on February 6 (his 69th) birthday, at 1:00p.m.


01/05/16 08:55 PM #6    

Phillip Stewart

Mike and I were both in Drama club and we often played opposite each other. The make-up crew put silver shoe polish in our hair to make us look older. I considered him one of my best friends from HS. He and Lee dated in school and I was glad to learn they married later. I was hoping to see him at the re-union last summer. RIP Mike, you lived a good life.


01/06/16 11:19 AM #7    

Bonnie Tomkinson (Hill)

I remeber Mike from 5th grade through Junior High. He was a very nice person and classmate. I am so glad the obit was posted telling of his amazing contributions in the field of new baby care. What a fabulous life he lived. I am sorry melanoma cancer was his demise. Prayers for his widow and family.

 


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