Gordon Ferguson will retire by the end of June 2025 as president and CEO of Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tenn., according to a release from its parent company, St. Louis-based Ascension.
Mr. Ferguson has spent 26 years total at the hospital. He began as senior vice president of support services in 1998. He later served as senior vice president of operations and COO. He became CEO in 2006.
"I was fortunate to join the hospital in 1998 after learning about the great work happening here," Mr. Ferguson said in the release, reflecting on his journey with Ascension. "From the very beginning, I could see the deep commitment to the community, and I wanted to be a part of it."
He added, "Those early years taught me so much about the strength of our team, and I’m proud of what we've accomplished together."
During Mr. Ferguson's tenure, Ascension St.Thomas Rutherford, formerly Middle Tennessee Medical Center, relocated in 2010 from one part of Murfreesboro to another, the release said. The move expanded the hospital campus to 80 acres, leading to the addition of more than 200 beds and the launch of cardiovascular surgery last year.
"One of the most significant opportunities I faced as CEO was securing approval to build the new hospital. It took a lot of meetings and persuasion to make the vision a reality," Mr. Ferguson said in the release. "But looking back, opening the new campus and seeing it thrive 14 years later is one of my proudest achievements."
Last year, Mr. Ferguson's leadership also oversaw the opening of Ascension St.Thomas Rutherford Westlawn Hospital, a neighborhood hospital in Murfreesboro.
After he retires, Mr. Ferguson plans to serve one year as vice president of community relations, the release said. This role will focus on capital campaigns, key relationships with public officials and philanthropic efforts for the Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford Foundation.