FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rod Gardner
Publication Specialist
Rod.Gardner@mercy.net
501.622.4513 office
501.622.2077 fax
Today’s Date: November 3, 2009
Howard Memorial, St. Joseph’s Mercy announce new CEO Wright
NASHVILLE, Ark. – Leaders of St. Joseph’s Mercy Health System and Howard Memorial Hospital held a press conference on Friday, October 30 to announce the selection of Debra Wright, MS, RN, as the Chief Executive Officer for the 25-bed critical access hospital. The announcement was the culmination of an executive search process conducted by St. Joseph’s Mercy, which recently entered into a three-year management services agreement with Howard Memorial.
Wright has an associate's degree in nursing from Texarkana Community College and a baccalaureate of applied arts and science from East Texas State University (currently Texas A&M University-Texarkana). She also has a master's of science in business administration from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
“I am excited to be named the CEO of Howard Memorial Hospital and I consider it a tremendous honor,” Wright said. “It is located in a wonderful community and they have built a brand new hospital where anyone would be thrilled to have the privilege of going to work in. Howard Memorial has a good reputation for providing quality health care for as long as I can remember. From my standpoint, that was a tremendous draw. There is a real trusting relationship between Howard Memorial, its patients and the community.”
Howard Memorial Hospital Board Chairman Bob Jamison stated that “we are thrilled that she accepted our offer and are confident that she will continue to move Howard Memorial Hospital forward in the healthcare industry. She and her husband will become valuable members of the surrounding communities upon their relocation to Nashville.”
“We are really excited to have Debra on board,” said Anna Silva, Chief Operating Officer for St. Joseph’s Mercy. “She is a community person who really cares and is a great fit for the position. This is a great step in continuing to provide quality care in this community. Debra has solid experience and leadership skills.”
Wright has spent the last 25 years, until March of this year, working at Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas. She started as a staff nurse, but in 1993 began her promotion to several administrative positions. Wright worked in administration until 2009 when the hospital was sold. Her most recent position was Chief Clinical Officer/Chief Nursing Officer.
Regarding management service provider St. Joseph's Mercy, Wright said: “Everyone I have encountered from St. Joseph's Mercy is in health care for the right reasons – for patients, staff and physicians. The teams I met from St. Joseph's Mercy, Howard Memorial, and its board of directors, impressed me so much with their unified commitment and dedication to this community.”
Wright is scheduled to begin officially November 30. She and her husband, Richard L. Wright, have three adult children, Zachary McDaniel (30), Dow Wright (40) and Robin Wright (38). They also have two grandsons, Nathan and Landon, and one granddaughter, Katelyn. Presently residents of Texarkana, the Wrights will relocate to Nashville after the sale of their Texarkana home.
On October 1, St. Joseph’s Mercy entered into its three-year management services contract with Howard Memorial. There are 23 physicians on Howard Memorial’s medical staff who represent 12 specialties, including cardiology, family practice, gynecology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, general surgery, urology, pathology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, emergency medicine and ENT medicine.
St. Joseph’s Mercy has served the healthcare needs of Hot Springs and surrounding communities since 1888. St. Joseph’s Mercy, a member of the not-for-profit, faith-based Sisters of Mercy Health System, features a 309-bed, general acute care hospital and an integrated St. Joseph’s Mercy Clinic physician partnership with 14 clinic locations – eight in Hot Springs and another five in five surrounding communities. Overall, St. Joseph’s Mercy has over 200 physicians on its medical staff representing 36 different specialties.
A member of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, St. Joseph's is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare organization. For more information on the three large-company Gold Awards and Ambassador Award St. Joseph’s Mercy has received at Arkansas Governor's Work-Life Balance Awards ceremonies over the last four years, as well as services and employment opportunities presently being offered, please visit saintjosephs.com.
