Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Logo

UPDATE: Medical Center President/CEO Lance Duke resigns post | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Special Sections
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Local News
    • Photos
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Job Spotlight
    • Georgia
    • Business
    • Nation/World
    • Lottery
    • Sports
    • Alabama
    • Auburn
    • Braves
    • Columbus State University
    • Cottonmouths
    • Falcons
    • Hawks
    • High Schools
    • UGA
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Valley Preps
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • ToDo
    • Living
    • Dining
    • Celebrations
    • Outdoors
    • Faith
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Tim Chitwood
    • Richard Hyatt
    • Ledger Inquirer
    • Valley Preps
    • Chuck Williams
    • Dimon Kendrick-Holmes
    • Alva James-Johnson
    • Natalia Naman Temesgen
    • Chris Johnson
    • Opinion
    • Forum
    • Letters
    • Dusty Nix
    • Sound Off
  • Obituaries
  • Readers' Choice

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Local

UPDATE: Medical Center President/CEO Lance Duke resigns post

BY TONY ADAMS - tadams@ledger-enquirer.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

April 10, 2012 11:26 AM

After nearly two decades with Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Lance Duke has resigned as president and chief executive officer of The Medical Center.

The system notified its employees this morning that Duke had stepped down the day before, according to an email from Columbus Regional spokeswoman Marion Scott.

“Transitions are not always easy, but you have the commitment of the entire leadership team that we will be available to meet your needs and those of our patients,” said the note to the system’s 3,400 full- and part-time staffers.

The system said it plans to begin an immediate search for Duke’s replacement, with new Columbus Regional CEO Chuck Stark moving his office to The Medical Center. He will handle day-to-day duties at the system’s flagship hospital until a successor is found.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Duke, 53, who had been with Columbus Regional since 1993, was passed over for the top position following a nationwide search that culminated with Stark’s hiring. The announcement was made in January, with Stark arriving in early February to replace retired CEO Larry Sanders.

“He was a very serious candidate for the CEO job that Chuck Stark has now,” Columbus Regional Chairman of the Board Gene Demonet said of Duke. “I can understand in not being a successful candidate for that job, that he would want to think about other opportunities ... I think it’s a question that Lance did not feel comfortable, did not want to be in a No. 2 role at this point. And Chuck is just a few years younger than Lance, so there wasn’t any obvious avenue for succession in the near future.”

Stark, 50, came to Columbus from Sandusky, Ohio, where he was president and chief executive officer of Firelands Regional Health System. Scott said he was not available for comment today.

A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Duke joined Columbus Regional as president and CEO of Phenix Regional Hospital in 1993. He added the job of president and CEO of The Medical Center two years later, although the Phenix City hospital was closed in 2002 because of its deteriorating physical condition and sliding Alabama Medicaid reimbursement rates that hurt it financially.

That left Duke to focus on The Medical Center, although he would often step in to plug holes temporarily at key moments. That included becoming acting CEO of Doctors Hospital after its $89.5 million purchase by Columbus Regional from HCA Inc. in 2008. That same year, he was interim CEO of Hughston Hospital after its $59 million purchase from HCA.

In 2003, with longtime Columbus Regional Chairman and CEO Sanders suffering from colon cancer, Duke stepped up from his executive vice president and chief operating officer role with the system to run the organization.

“Lance did a good job there, and I’m kind of sorry to see him leave,” Demonet said. “But I understand he’s got to look at his future, too ... He was very flexible, very steady, and a committed employee, and did a fine job along the line.”

Duke could not be reached at his Phenix City home this afternoon. After a February news conference at which Columbus Regional and St. Francis Hospital said they were partnering with Mercer University on a medical school, the executive said he was happy in his role with the system.

Demonet said a so-called changing of the guard, with longtime executives Sanders and Duke departing within a short period of time, isn’t necessarily unusual.

“If you’re running a large business, that happens all the time,” he said. “The turnover in CEOs in the hospital industry is pretty high. The average tenure in office is about 3½ or 4 years. So things are always changing.”

The Columbus Regional board chairman also said there is nothing to the notion that Stark is simply sweeping out those long-time staffers he believes he may not be able to get along with as he moves forward at the health-care system.

“I don’t think that was in the thinking. That was one of the things that we talked about when we hired Chuck, and he was certainly willing to work with the folks who are on board now in the senior management team,” he said. “And, obviously, if Lance wasn’t comfortable with his position, Chuck naturally would not want to encourage him to stay on.”

Demonet said he expects the search for a new Medical Center CEO to take at least six months. It will be a national process, he said, with in-house candidates also being considered.

“It is a key position,” he said. “The Medical Center is the flagship of the Columbus Regional system, and we need to make sure that we have the best possible person running it that we can.”

Aside from The Medical Center, Doctors Hospital and Hughston Hospital, the system also operates the John B. Amos Cancer Center and Tidwell Cancer Treatment Center. It also is in a joint venture with HealthSouth in Phenix City at the Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

  Comments  

Videos

Students cheer as teachers named finalists for top educator

Semifinalists named for 2019 Teacher of the Year in Muscogee County

View More Video

Trending Stories

She tricked her mom into meeting her Hardaway gym teacher. Now, they’re engaged.

February 14, 2019 12:00 AM

The 2019 Teacher of the Year in Muscogee County will be one of these 10 semifinalists

February 15, 2019 12:35 PM

City truck driver, 72, charged in fatal crash Jan. 31 on River Road, police say

February 15, 2019 01:38 PM

Columbus attorney never served in military, but his gift to UGA will help those who have

February 14, 2019 03:04 PM

‘Not opening Evita is not an option’ Springer director says as crews assess flood damage

February 14, 2019 03:41 PM

Read Next

How to adopt a furry friend in Columbus for $14
Video media Created with Sketch.

Local

How to adopt a furry friend in Columbus for $14

By Miranda Daniel

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 06:17 PM

From February 14-17, 2019, you can adopt an animal for $14 at PAWS Humane Society or you can visit PAWS at Petco, one of their adoption partners, on Saturday, Feb. 16, for a $14 adoption there.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

City truck driver, 72, charged in fatal crash Jan. 31 on River Road, police say

Local

City truck driver, 72, charged in fatal crash Jan. 31 on River Road, police say

February 15, 2019 01:38 PM
The 2019 Teacher of the Year in Muscogee County will be one of these 10 semifinalists

Education

The 2019 Teacher of the Year in Muscogee County will be one of these 10 semifinalists

February 15, 2019 12:35 PM
Give your best effort to the ones you love best, every day

News Columns & Blogs

Give your best effort to the ones you love best, every day

February 15, 2019 03:35 AM
‘Not opening Evita is not an option’ Springer director says as crews assess flood damage

Local

‘Not opening Evita is not an option’ Springer director says as crews assess flood damage

February 14, 2019 03:41 PM
Murder or self-defense? Columbus jury must decide answer in birthday party shootout trial

Crime

Murder or self-defense? Columbus jury must decide answer in birthday party shootout trial

February 14, 2019 06:14 PM
Another batch of student athletes in the Columbus area sign college scholarships

High School Sports

Another batch of student athletes in the Columbus area sign college scholarships

February 14, 2019 06:16 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Digital Solutions
  • Niche Solutions
  • Print Solutions
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story