The South Georgia Health System d.b.a. South Georgia Medical Center, recently announced a series of promotions affecting the organizational structure of the health system. C. Ross Berry, CEO, announced the changes following last month's Hospital Authority meeting.

David Schott, DrPH has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.  He was hired in June, 2016 to serve as the Assistant Administrator of Strategy & Business Analytics.  Schott quickly proved himself and was chosen to serve as the Assistant Administrator over Operations which entailed oversight of safety, quality, and performance improvement. Prior to joining SGMC, Schott worked at East Georgia Regional Medical Center.  He received his MBA in Health Services Administration from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Science in Public Health and Tropical Medicine from Tulane University.  He also received a doctorate in Public Health Leadership from Georgia Southern University’s Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health.

Jeff Edwards has been named Chief Development Officer. Edwards joined the SGMC Leadership team in June, 2017 as the Administrator of Physician Services.  He is a proficient healthcare leader with experience in physician practice management, financial planning and analysis, strategic planning and general business management.  Edwards received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied business and accounting.  He is a Certified Financial Manager, Certified Healthcare Financial Professional, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Medical Practice Executive, and Certified Public Accountant.

Bill Forbes was named Assistant Administrator for Projects. He graduated from Valdosta State University with a major in business management and a minor in marketing. Since then, he has served as the city manager, as well as the mayor of Homerville, as an independent business owner and as the CEO of Clinch Memorial Hospital.  While working for SGMC, Forbes proved himself as a jack-of-all trades in healthcare administration, serving as Chief Planning Officer, Chief Development Officer and Project Consultant. As Assistant Administrator for Projects, Forbes will oversee construction projects on all campuses.

Berry praised the accomplishments of these gentlemen. He said, “These promotions reflect the professional efforts demonstrated by these individuals and the new strategic direction of our health system.  These promotions are part of our ongoing initiatives to enhance the quality of services and to meet the ever-changing demands of the healthcare environment.  These are the right people to get us to the next level."