On Tuesday, South Georgia Medical Center’s Chief Executive Officer Randy Sauls announced his resignation effective immediately citing personal and health reasons. The Hospital Authority of Valdosta & Lowndes County accepted Sauls’ resignation and approved a Board resolution naming Chief Financial Officer Raymond A Snead, Jr. D.Sc, FHFMA, FACHE as interim CEO.

Mr. Sauls began his hospital administration career in 1982 at Crisp Regional Hospital in Cordele, Georgia, where he served as Assistant Administrator. In 1995 he joined the South Georgia Medical Center enterprise by accepting the position of Administrator of Louis Smith Memorial Hospital and Lakeland Villa Convalescent Center in Lakeland, Georgia. Since that time, Mr. Sauls has served as SGMC’s Administrator and Chief Operations Officer, and in 2011 was named SGMC’s Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Snead, who was named Chief Financial Officer in 2014, will assume interim responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of SGMC, its campuses and affiliates. He holds a Doctor of Science in Health Administration degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which is regarded as one of the best health administration programs in the country. Dr. Snead began his relationship with SGMC in 2013 when he was hired to work as a consultant to the health system to improve financial performance. Professionally, Dr. Snead has over 30 years of executive healthcare leadership experience. In 2015, he was named by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of America’s 150 Hospital and Health System CFO’s to Know. 

As interim CEO, Dr. Snead will focus his attentions upon achieving SGMC’s strategic goals and objectives which include improving healthcare quality, safety and patient experience, physician alignment and financial performance