Baptist Memorial Health Care announced leadership changes that mark several firsts for the organization: for the first time, a physician, Dr. Paul DePriest, has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer; Baptist recruited Rev. Keith Norman as its first ever vice president for government affairs; and Dana Dye has been tapped to lead Baptist’s flagship facility, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis.
DePriest came to Baptist Memorial in 2012 as the organization’s senior vice president and chief medical officer. One of his primary responsibilities in that role was operational process design for the system and communication and collaboration between physicians and Baptist leadership. That responsibility will be enhanced in his new position, where he will serve as second in command to Baptist Memorial’s President and CEO, Jason Little. DePriest’s promotion is the next step in Baptist Memorial’s transition from a hospital-led organization to a hospital and physician-led organization.
Norman, the pastor of First Baptist Church—Broad, has been named Baptist Memorial’s vice president of government affairs. In this role, he will establish and maintain relationships with government officials and strengthen Baptist’s community outreach partnerships. In addition to leading the revitalization of the Binghampton community through GREATER WORKS Inc., an organization he founded, he sits on the board of directors of the Memphis-Shelby County Crime Commission, is a Board Trustee at Christian Brothers University, and is a Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Commissioner. He also is president of the NAACP’s Memphis chapter. Norman will continue to serve as First Baptist Church—Broad’s pastor in addition to filling this new role with Baptist Memorial.
Dye, Baptist Memorial’s vice president and chief nursing executive, will lead Baptist Memphis, the city’s largest hospital. A 706-bed regional referral center, the facility houses the Baptist Heart Institute and offers a wealth of advanced medical services. A Baptist colleague since 2007, Dye began her Baptist Memorial career as Baptist Memphis’ chief nursing officer. In 2012, she was promoted to vice president and chief nursing executive for the Baptist Memorial system. She will remain a vice president after she assumes her new role at Baptist Memphis.
Dye will replace Derick Ziegler, who will be promoted to vice president and head of regional operations for Baptist Memorial. After spending 23 years in health care administration for the U.S Army, Ziegler came to Baptist Memorial in 2008 to lead Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City in Union City, Tenn. Two years later, he became Baptist Memphis’ administrator and CEO.
Ziegler will assume the role held by Randy King, a 31-year Baptist colleague who will become vice president and head of metro-Memphis operations for Baptist Memorial. King started his Baptist Memorial career in the materials management department for Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton and worked his way up to his current role. Along the way, he served as Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto’s administrator and CEO.
King’s predecessor in his new role, Zach Chandler, is being promoted to executive vice president and chief strategy officer. After completing his Frank Groner administrative fellowship at Baptist Memorial, Chandler held several leadership roles within the organization, including serving as CEO and administrator at four Baptist Memorial hospitals. Chandler has been with Baptist for 15 years.
“I am excited to welcome these gifted leaders into their new roles,” said Jason Little, Baptist Memorial’s president and CEO. “All of them bring exceptional skill and talent to their positions, and I am confident they will help lead Baptist into this new health care world. I am especially proud that several of these new leaders will be breaking new ground, not just at Baptist, but in Memphis’ health care community.”
The Memphis area’s largest not-for-profit health care system, Baptist Memorial offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. In 2012, Baptist was ranked No. 2 among large employers and No. 23 overall nationally in Modern Healthcare magazine’s top 100 “Best Places to Work in Healthcare.”
The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 14 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 4,000 affiliated physicians; Baptist Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group with more than 500 doctors; home, hospice and psychiatric care; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist Health Sciences University. The Baptist system employs 15,000 people, and in fiscal year 2012, contributed $229 million in community benefit to the areas it serves. According to the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Memphis, Baptist Memorial Health Care’s annual economic impact is estimated at more than $2.6 billion.