CFO named interim head of West Tennessee Healthcare upon the sudden June resignation of Richard Parks, who was named CEO in 2007 as a replacement for legend Jim Moss. At press time, the search for a permanent replacement to lead what is a top regional employer continued. West Tennessee Healthcare has about 5,000 employees, six hospitals and locations in 18 West Tennessee counties. As CEO, responsible for the public, not-for-profit Jackson-Madison County General Hospital--the flagship location that staffs the majority of the system's employees. In September 2008, the facility completed a multi-million-dollar, 365,000-square-foot expansion, which includes 280 new patient rooms, new cardiac cath lab suites and a new conference center, among other things.

Initially recruited as CEO of the Metro Division of Mercy Health Partners, which resulted from the merger of St. Mary's Health System and Baptist Health System of East Tennessee on Jan. 1, 2008. Oversaw St. Mary's and Baptist's downtown Knoxville hospitals, as well as St. Mary's Medical Center North in Powell and the Baptist West hospitals in Turkey Creek. Now focuses solely on the system's flagship, St. Mary's Medical Center, the 78-year-old, 498-bed facility that Mercy officials announced will remain open due to the decision not to build a new hospital on the Baptist Riverside campus. Previously served as president and CEO of Mercy Hospital Fairfield and senior vice president of Mercy Health Partners of Southwest Ohio--a division of Catholic Healthcare Partners, the parent company of St. Mary's and now Mercy Health.

Officially replaced retiring health care giant Harry Jacobson in June. In addition to continuing to serve as dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Balser oversees the 836-bed VUMC, which includes the Vanderbilt University Hospital and Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute, Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital and the Psychiatric Hospital at Vanderbilt, a collection of facilities with annual net revenues of $2.3 billion. Expanding presence in such spaces as One Hundred Oaks, which serves as a second campus for outpatient clinics and services. Annual research funding quadrupled to more than $400 million during Jacobson's tenure, and VUMC's influence extends well beyond Nashville.

Hired to lead nonprofit, five-campus, 818-bed hospital system affiliated with UT College of Medicine in 2004 following a nationwide search by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority Board of Trustees. Formerly vice chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, where he was CEO of Louisiana's statewide public hospital system (comprised of nine hospitals). A member of the Rolling Hills Group, which, authorized by the Tennessee Hospital Association, launched in mid-2007 to develop a health reform plan in Tennessee that could serve as a structural model for other states and the nation.

Since 1994, has run the county-owned, 430-employee Hardin Medical Center, which includes a 58-bed hospital, 73-bed nursing home, home health agency, medical supply and sales unit and the county's franchised ambulance service. The campus, which underwent a $9 million construction and renovation project in 2004, also features the Darryl Worley Chemotherapy Clinic. A former nurse turned outspoken advocate for legislative change aimed at enhancing health care. Appointed in January by Gov. Phil Bredesen to the board of the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency, which is responsible for regulating the health care industry in Tennessee through the Certificate of Need Program.

Since 2005, heads Nashville's only taxpayer-subsidized public hospital, as well as the Metro Hospital Authority, which, in addition to 127-bed Nashville General Hospital at Meharry, includes Bordeaux Long Term Care and Knowles Assisted Living. Formerly served as chief medical officer at General. Improving revenues through increasing the number of paying patients who come into the hospital, while also coping with budget cuts in a facility that is crucial to Nashville's overall health care system.

Has led 304-bed Blount Memorial Hospital since 1985, overseeing tremendous expansion in facilities, workforce and technologies in a service area growing by leaps and bounds. Dawson has had good success retaining that business in his home market--keeping it from going to nearby Knoxville, where every major hospital has made a run at taking over his facility. As an independent provider, Dawson must be a jack-of-all-trades in dealing with issues that arise, strategically marshalling his resources. And speaking of a jack-of-all-trades--in addition to serving on multiple Blount County boards through the years and recently being honored with a community leadership award, Dawson is a football official for the Southeastern Conference.

In 2002, Douglas joined the Wellmont Health System staff as president of system's flagship, which is also the region's largest hospital with 500 beds, more than 450 physicians and 2,000 nurses, technicians and support staff members. Overseeing "Project Platinum," a $110 million multi-phase expansion and renovation project that includes a larger emergency department, a new intensive care unit and new operating rooms. Major construction began in March 2008 with the largest tower crane erected on the East Coast. Facilities are scheduled to begin opening in late summer and early fall, with full completion of Project Platinum expected in late March 2010. In 2008, Douglas earned "fellow" status in the American College of Healthcare Executives, a feat that 7,500 of 30,000 ACHE members have achieved.

Runs one of nation's most recognized and lauded institutions--the world's largest cancer center devoted solely to children (where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance), with programs in more than 20 countries and a daily operating budget of more than $1.4 million. Leads more than 3,400 employees working to find cures for not just cancer but also for AIDS and other catastrophic diseases in children. Serves on multiple Memphis community boards, including the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Tomorrow, Methodist Le Bonheur Health System and the Tennessee Technology Development Corp. (as chairman).

Took the helm at 286-bed, 1,200-employee Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC), which is a member of St. Thomas Health Services, in 2006. Joined MTMC in 1998, serving as senior vice president of support services, senior vice president of operations and COO before becoming CEO. During tenure, has overseen a $26 million outpatient service facility and is currently overseeing a $267 million project for MTMC's 550,000-square-foot replacement facility, which is expected to open in November 2010. Located on 68 acres, the new campus is four times larger than MTMC's current campus and contains two hospital towers (five stories & seven stories), each of which are capable of expanding to eight stories to further accommodate Rutherford County's growing population.

In 2008, Grubbs became CEO of hospital in one of the state's most competitive markets. Replaced Tim Puthoff, who accepted a position with hospital owner, Community Health Systems. Almost immediately upon taking the helm, began overseeing $8.6 million expansion project, which began in May 2008 and represented the first expansion since the hospital opened in 1991. Completed in April, the expansion enhanced services for outpatient procedures and created additional capacity for labor and delivery at the 455-bed hospital. Previously served as CEO of Berwick Hospital Center in Pennsylvania. Tennessee experience includes stints as CFO at Lakeway Regional Medical Center in Morristown and Cleveland Community Hospital in Cleveland.

Runs flagship hospital not only for Nashville-area TriStar Health System but for parent HCA, the national health care system whose headquarters are located within walking distance. Herron, the former 10-year CEO at Largo Medical Center in Florida, was named to lead 657-bed, 2,500-employee Centennial in 2006 and is presumably now in line to eventually lead the entire TriStar system. (Herron predecessor Larry Kloess currently holds the position.) While others are scaling back and postponing expansion/renovation plans, Centennial broke ground in August on a $30 million expansion of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center. The groundbreaking kicked off a $160 million campus expansion project that includes the addition of 51 licensed beds and the construction of a dedicated heart and vascular center in 2010.

A Colorado-based Catholic Health Initiatives affiliate, 405-bed MHCS has 4,000 associates and more than 700 affiliated physicians providing health care throughout Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Replacing Ruth Brinkley in November 2008, Hobson, a Memphis native, formerly served as executive vice president and COO of Phoebe Putney Health Systems in Albany, Ga., a community-owned, not-for-profit, three-hospital system that provides health care services for a 25-county region in Southwest Georgia. Joined Memorial at pivotal time--the hospital was set to break ground on a $330 million renovation and expansion project this summer but decided in the fall to "pause" due to the credit market.

Taking over for John Melton, who stepped down several months ago for health reasons, as head of Mountain States Health Alliance's flagship hospital, 488-bed Johnson City Medical Center (JCMC). Before taking the position, she served as COO for JCMC, and she joined JCMC from St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Ill. In February, the 69-bed, $36 million Niswonger Children's hospital, which replaced and expanded services previously offered at the Children's Hospital at JCMC, opened on the JCMC campus.

Since 2005, runs the 581-bed, 3,700-employee, not-for-profit academic medical center. Joined the Medical Center as senior vice president and CFO in 1999 and was named executive vice president in 2003. Instrumental in all financial aspects of the restructuring efforts that created University Health System, a regional health system comprised of the UT Medical Center, UT Health Network and various partnerships and joint ventures with physicians and health care companies. The Center, which serves as a referral center for eastern Tennessee, southeastern Kentucky and western North Carolina, is slated to open a $26 million, four-story heart hospital in 2010.

Leads the 766-bed flagship hospital for the Baptist Memorial Health Care system, one of Tennessee's highest volume hospitals. Facility designated a 2009 HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence in 2009 (270 out of 5,000 non-federal hospitals in the nation received the award) for the second consecutive year. Former student body president at UT-Knoxville. Previous positions include administrator of Baptist's Columbus, Miss., facility and Baptist's Collierville facility. A rising star in health care administration who many in the industry see as a potential major local, state and national player in health care.

Former COO of CRMC now leading the 247-bed regional referral center for the Cumberland area that has been an acquisition target of for-profit chains and not-for-profit health systems in nearby Nashville for many years. Under Mattingly, CRMC has not only stayed independent but has been rated in the top percentiles of hospitals nationally for spinal surgery, as well as for gastrointestinal and vascular services. In December, completed its $80 million, six-story, 228,000-square-foot North Patient Tower, which had been under construction since 2006 and includes an expanded cancer center and new intensive care unit.

Led WMC through a major $83 million expansion and construction project aimed at providing better local care and keeping Williamson County residents from going to Nashville hospitals for services, including obstetrics/neonatal intensive care. Located in the state's richest county and serving a wealthy and well-insured clientele, the unaffiliated 185-bed WMC has long been an acquisition target of powerhouses like nearby Vanderbilt and HCA. Miller, an HCA alum tabbed in 2002 to run WMC following a stint with Birmingham, Ala.-based Eastern Health System, has used the influence of his area's demographic to maintain the hospital's independent status while simultaneously engaging in savvy partnerships with hospitals (such as St. Thomas and Vanderbilt) to enhance health care services for Williamson County residents.

Though he doesn't run a hospital, Miller runs the largest independent multi-specialty group practice in Tri-Cities area of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia (one he founded in 1977). Operates 16 locations (14 offices, 150 providers and 891 total employees), including a surgery center, two diagnostic centers and two rehab centers. HMG is recognized nationally for its use of technology for disease management, clinical research, compliance, quality management and wellness initiatives with major local employers. Miller is one of the most influential businessmen in the Tri-Cities.

Twenty-one-year health care veteran who joined Gateway Medical Center, now owned by Community Health Systems, in 2006. Oversaw construction of $200 million, 270-bed facility (replacing 54-year-old, 206-bed hospital) that opened June 2008 in the 17th fastest growing city in the United States. Added more than 40 new physicians over the past three years to Gateway's staff. Mullins is also a leader in another way--he holds the rank of Commander, Medical Services Corps, in the Navy Reserves, where he has served for 24 years. He was recalled to active duty in Iraq from June 2007 to March 2008.

Has led 255-bed (with a 20-bed skilled nursing unit), 2,000-employee, not-for-profit Maury Regional Medical Center since 2005. Previously headed up the largest non-urban hospital in America, North Mississippi Medical Center, with 650 beds and 3,800 employees. Oversaw a $10.5 million, 30,000-square-foot emergency department project (completed in October 2007) at Maury Regional Medical Center, which is the flagship for a group of facilities that serve about 260,000 residents in southern Middle Tennessee.

Took the helm in March 2008, replacing Cecelia Sawyer, who vacated the position to become the first vice president of elder care for the Methodist-Le Bonheur Healthcare system. Spiegel previously served as president and COO of Trumbull Memorial Hospital, a 350-bed tertiary hospital in Ohio, which, under Spiegel's leadership, experienced substantial market share growth. Selected in part because leadership experience at academic and private medical center environments made him well-suited to head up the 669-bed facility affiliated with the UT Health Science Center.

Runs independent not-for-profit hospital that in recent years has undergone multi-million dollar construction projects resulting in, among other things, Greeneville's first cardiac catheterization lab and a third medical office building. (Over $8 million in new equipment was also installed.) A member of the Rolling Hills Group, which, authorized by the Tennessee Hospital Association, launched in mid-2007 to develop a health reform plan in Tennessee that could serve as a structural model for other states and the nation. Whitfield and Laughlin were also key to the development of the College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University in nearby Johnson City (now in its fourth year of existence), pledging $100,000 to ensure a local solution for a regional need.

Named to current post at Covenant Health-owned Ft. Sanders in 1999, climbing the corporate ladder from COO and chief nurse executive. Also serves as administrator of Fort Sanders Sevier Nursing Home. Current 79-bed hospital and 54-bed nursing home complex (534 employees combined) have been serving the needs of a fast-growing population at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains since 1965. A $115 million replacement hospital, LeConte Medical Center, is under construction and is set to open in February 2010. The 200,000-square-foot facility will include a sleep center, an expanded emergency department and a dedicated surgical suite in the OB department. The campus will also feature the Dolly Parton Center for Women's Services and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center - Sevier.

Senior Vice President and CFO of Sumner Regional until he stepped up to temporarily replace longtime CEO William T. Sugg, who resigned in June after ratings agency Fitch downgraded the rating on approximately $150 million worth of facility debt from a BB+ to a B-. Wilhoite joined the four-hospital nonprofit regional health care system that stretches from Gallatin to Hartsville to Carthage in 2008 as interim CFO and had the interim removed from his title in January. CEO responsibilities include overseeing the Sumner Regional Medical Center, the Gallatin-based flagship, which has long been an acquisition target of larger health care systems in the Nashville area.