Sterile Processing's Champion, Anthony Bondon, Reflects on Leadership, Legacy, and What Is Next

The 2025 HSPA conference in Louisville, Kentucky, held from April 25 to 29, Anthony Bondon, outgoing president of the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), is preparing for more than just a leadership handoff—he is closing a chapter of extraordinary impact. With a message rooted in inspiration, connection, and pride, Bondon reflects on his journey through over 80 sterile processing departments (SPDs), where he didn’t just visit, but truly connected with the professionals on the front lines.

Bondon, who is also the director of sterile processing for WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, Georgia, likens sterile processing professionals to champions in their own right, drawing inspiration from Louisville’s most famous son, Muhammad Ali. Just as Ali is remembered as the “Greatest of All Time,” Bondon believes SPD teams embody that same level of excellence, resilience, and heart. His closing presentation featured a visual journey through the many departments he has visited, symbolizing a presidency focused not on policy, but on people.

Throughout his tenure, Bondon committed to being present—not only in title, but in person. Many teams were stunned to receive a visit from the HSPA president, having never experienced that kind of direct encouragement before. Bondon made it his mission to listen, uplift, and honor SPD professionals nationwide who often feel unseen and underappreciated.

“I was able to visit over 80 different SPD departments and chapter meetings over the last couple of years. I've been able to interact with [many] different places and spaces and people who are part of our industry. That is what's been so encouraging for me, the fact that I've been able to see the good, the bad, the ugly, be able to encourage, but also be encouraged by the people that I've had a chance to interact with and to touch—not just see, not just be in the vicinity, but the people that I've been able to touch. Shake hands, get hugs, give hugs. All those things have meant so much, not only to me.”

Bondon said the connection was also for those he went to see as well. “I can't tell you how many people were like, ‘Why are you here? Like nobody is no president has ever come to our hospital. Why? And I was like, I just came to encourage you. I just came to say thank you for what you know you do.’ And it was such experience toward to see the faces and see the smiles, to just to see the people that were just, you know, hysterically surprised that, hey, the HSPA president cares, he cares about HSPA cares about us.”

This year’s conference is not just about celebration; it’s about education and elevation. Bondon aims to focus more on learning and reflection, ensuring that he absorbs the same knowledge and motivation he has long offered others. Despite his busy schedule—delivering the opening address, leading membership and certification meetings—he’s prioritizing the very element that inspired him to lead: professional development.

He acknowledges that stepping down brings mixed emotions. But he doesn’t see this as the end of his advocacy. He intends to continue mentoring, educating, and encouraging sterile processing professionals—because, as he says, that mission is part of who he is. Leadership may shift, but passion endures.

Bondon also emphasizes that his journey from midnight technician to HSPA president is proof that anything is possible. His career, marked by perseverance and personal growth, is a roadmap for others in the field. To him, the takeaway is clear: this work matters. It saves lives. It deserves recognition and reward.

As the SPD community gathers in Louisville, Bondon’s final message resonates with clarity and hope. Sterile processing technicians are not just essential—they are extraordinary. They bring strength, skill, and pride to an often-overlooked profession. And as Bondon transitions out of the presidency, he leaves behind not just a legacy of visibility, but one of belief—in the profession, in its people, and in its limitless potential.

“Be encouraged, know that the sky is the limit. I never thought that I would be traveling the world for sterile processing, but I want you to know that it's possible. It's possible—a person who started out as a midnight sterile processing tech to the presidency of HSPA. It's possible. And so that's what I want those people that are out there, just to understand that the only limits that you have is what you place on yourself.”