Jackson, Miss.-based Merit Health has added four new executives to the Merit Health Central management team, according to a Mississippi Business Journal report.
Here are 10 things to know about the new leaders.
Sam Dean joins Merit Health Central as COO.
1. Mr. Dean started his healthcare career nearly 15 years ago.
2. He comes to Merit Health Central from Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., where he served as vice president of clinical services/assistant CEO.
3. Mr. Dean earned his bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences and business from Auburn (Ala.) University and a master's degree in business administration and health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Laura Knight, RN, BSN, has been promoted to CNO from assistant CNO, a position she held since June 2013.
4. Ms. Knight has spent 11 years on the hospital's nursing staff. She previously served as director of the emergency department, telemetry nurse manager and assistant nurse manager in post-surgery.
5. Ms. Knight is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing through Loyola University and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Nicholas Renda has been named CFO.
6. Mr. Renda is a certified public accountant with more than 25 years of financial experience, primarily working in the healthcare industry, according to the report.
7. He has held several executive management positions at hospitals and physician practices, most recently as assistant CFO of Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala.
8. Mr. Renda earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Mike Mudd has been named assistant administrator.
9. Mr. Mudd previously held roles in project management, supply chain management and performance improvement with Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville, Ky.
10. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Lexington-based University of Kentucky and his master's degree in business administration from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
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