Baptist Memorial Health Care has announced leadership changes for its hospital operations following the retirement announcement of long-time Vice President of Metro Operations Randy King.
Chris Anderson, formerly VP of operations for Mississippi, will be promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s metro market; James Grantham, chief executive officer/administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville, has been promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s Mississippi market; Brad Parsons, VP/CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, will be promoted to VP of operations for Baptist’s West Tennessee and Arkansas markets; and Derick Ziegler, VP of affiliate integration and West Tennessee operations, will be promoted to VP/chief transformation officer, a newly created role for the organization.
“I am pleased to have Chris Anderson, James Grantham, Brad Parsons and Derick Ziegler help lead operations and sustainability for Baptist Memorial hospitals,” said Dr. Paul DePriest, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “Combined, they have 100-plus years of experience leading hospitals and health care systems, and they have successfully managed our hospitals during one of the most challenging times in health care history. I expect them to continue to rise to any challenge as they lead Baptist Memorial hospitals into the future.”
Anderson has led operations for nine of Baptist Memorial hospitals in North and Central Mississippi since 2017 when he joined Baptist following the signing of a shared mission agreement between Baptist and Mississippi Baptist Health Systems in 2017. Prior to that, Anderson served as president/CEO of Mississippi Baptist Health Systems from 2014 to 2017. In total, he has served as a health system CEO for 19 years and worked in health care for 35-plus years.
Grantham has served as dual CEO/administrator for Baptist Union County and Baptist Booneville since 2019, and administrator of clinical services since 2014. He began in the CEO/administrator role at Baptist Booneville in 2012 after serving as assistant administrator at Baptist Union County from 2011 to 2012 and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville from 2010 to 2011. Grantham joined Baptist as a Frank S. Groner administrative fellow in 2009, and worked as a medical technologist and laboratory informatics analyst from 1998 to 2009.
Parsons, who has served in health care administration roles since 2003, will lead operations for Baptist’s three West Tennessee hospitals and two Arkansas hospitals. Parsons has experienced a progressive career in health care leadership, most recently being promoted to VP/CEO of Baptist’s flagship hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women in 2022. He was promoted to CEO/administrator of Baptist Memphis in 2020 after serving as CEO/administrator of NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital from 2012 to 2020. He was CEO/administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City from 2010 to 2012 and held other leadership roles at Baptist and Decatur Morgan Hospital between 2003 and 2010.
In Ziegler’s new role, he will serve as the executive leader of Project CRYSTAL to help optimize operations and create sustainable results for the organization. He will also continue to lead transformation projects and merger and acquisition synergy efforts. As VP of affiliate integrations and West Tennessee operations, Ziegler was responsible for transitions, acquisitions and mergers and helped the organization realize more than $200 million in synergy savings. Prior to this role, Ziegler served as CEO/administrator of Baptist Memphis from 2010 to 2014 and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City from 2008 to 2010. Before joining Baptist, Ziegler served as a colonel in the U.S. Army for 23 years.
Baptist Memorial Health Care is one of the country’s largest not-for-profit health care systems and the largest provider of Medicaid in the region. Baptist offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South and consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation. The health care system comprises 22 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, North and Central Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 5,400 affiliated physicians; Baptist Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group with more than 900 providers; 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 Baptist Health Sciences University (formerly Baptist College of Health Sciences). Baptist employs more than 19,000 people, and in fiscal year 2020 contributed more than $352 million in community benefit and uncompensated care to the communities it serves.
