Kurt Stuenkel, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Floyd Medical Center in Rome, was installed as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) at the association’s annual convention Feb. 13 in Atlanta. Stuenkel has served as president and CEO of Floyd since January 1996, and worked at Floyd Medical Center since 1981. Over the course of his career, he has served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, senior vice president, assistant executive director, director of professional services and projects officer. As president and CEO, Stuenkel is responsible for the leadership, management and administration of Floyd and its affiliates, which include Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, the Floyd Primary Care Network and Floyd Behavioral Health Center. Stuenkel succeeds 2012 Chairman William T. Moore, president and CEO of Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta.

Cindy Turner, president and chief executive officer of Bacon County Hospital and Health System in Alma, was named chair-elect. Turner has served as CEO since September 2005. Hard work and dedication helped her rise through the ranks to eventually be the leader of a very successful hospital and health system. Only two months after taking the position of CEO, she was instrumental in acquiring funding for the addition of a second story to the hospital.

Other board appointments are as follows:

Steve Gautney, CEO of Crisp Regional Hospital in Cordele. Since 2010, Gautney has led the operations of the 73-bed acute care facility as well its other entities, including a 143-bed nursing home.

David Hefner, MPA, president and CEO of Georgia Regents Medical Center in Augusta. The medical center is housed under Georgia Regents University and fosters the medical education and training of future health care providers.

Gregory A. Hurst, interim president and COO of Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. Hurst has served as COO since 2006 and has served as interim president since 2012.

Candice Saunders, FACHE, executive vice president and administrator of WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta. Saunders has led the hospital since 2007 and was instrumental in securing its level II trauma designation in 2011.

H. Speer Burdette III, president of Callaway Foundation, Inc. in LaGrange. In this role, Burdette, who serves on the Board of Trustees at West Georgia Health in LaGrange, assists nonprofit organizations, such as West Georgia Health, with their charitable, religious and educational efforts.

The new board members will sustain GHA’s mission to ensure quality health care to all Georgia residents.

“We are pleased with the wide array of aptitude and experience these new members will bring to the GHA Board of Trustees,” said Joseph Parker, president of GHA. “They are among the most valued hospital executives and leaders in the state and their respective hospitals have benefited greatly from their leadership. We are fortunate to have them join the Board.”