ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604080093
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ELISSA MILENKY STAFF WRITER
Columbia Montgomery Regional Hospital's top executive is leaving his post next month to oversee three other hospitals in South Carolina.
Gene Wright will become president and chief executive officer of Columbia Trident Medical System in Charleston, S.C., while also heading Summerville Medical Center and Colleton Regional Hospital. The three South Carolina hospitals are owned Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., the same company that owns Montgomery Regional Hospital.
Reed Kennedy, the hospital's chief operating officer since 1993, will serve as the interim senior administrative officer.
"It's a career opportunity that you are fortunate when it comes your way," Wright said. "I'm in a position where I can say yes to it and I think my family and I will benefit long term from it."
Wright came to Montgomery Regional in December 1992 as a temporary administrator from Muscle Shoals, Ala., where he was an executive director of a 128-bed hospital.
He at first had no intention of remaining in Blacksburg and was planning to return to Alabama, but Wright eventually changed his mind and applied for the job permanently. In February 1993, he was named as Montgomery Regional's permanent CEO.
Blacksburg Town Manager Ron Secrist, a member of the hospital's board of directors, said Wright has enhanced Montgomery Regional's reputation and quality of care during the last three years. Part of that enhancement has been an increased visibility in the community, such as Montgomery Regional's title sponsorship of the Tour DuPont bicycle race, he added.
"The hospital plays a much stronger institutional role in the community," Secrist said. "Many new physicians that have been recruited have added to the quality of health care provided as well as the professional community. I think Gene has been responsible for a lot of valuable contributions to the community."
Wright has recruited about 18 physicians to the New River Valley. The Kentucky native also pointed to the hospital's new birthing center, regional health clinics in Floyd and Fairlawn and the beginnings of an outreach program as accomplishments.
He also has played a prominent role in the battle between Columbia/HCA and Carilion Health System, the not-for-profit owner of Radford Community Hospital, to build a new hospital in the New River Valley. He has been a vocal opponent of Radford Community's proposal to build a 97-bed facility in Montgomery County to replace its existing facility, saying its plan is too expensive and the original building should be renovated.
The two hospitals, which have competing proposals, are waiting for a state hearing officer to make a recommendation to the state health commissioner.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: headshot of Wrightby CNB