Ascension St. Vincent's appoints new CEOs for Jacksonville area; here's their credentials
Ascension St. Vincent's has named new leaders for two of its four Jacksonville-area hospitals. Kevin Rinks is now president and CEO of St. Vincent’s Southside, and Bryan Walrath is president and CEO of St. Vincent’s Clay County.
Rinks and Walrath are longtime health care professionals and have already assumed their new duties.
Both oversee day-to-day operations at their respective hospitals, focusing on "advancing patient access to specialty care in the region, bolstering the quality of the patient and associate experience at each hospital and strengthening ties with stakeholders in each community," according to Ascension.
The Catholic health care system's facilities are among the Jacksonville area's 10 full-service hospitals. The system also operates 90 other health care facilities and employs about 5,300 people.
Who is the new president and CEO of Ascension Southside?
Rinks relocated from St. Vincent’s Clay County, where he had been president and CEO beginning in 2020. He is now leading St. Vincent's Southside, formerly St. Luke's Hospital, which became part of the Ascension system in 2008. He succeeded James Machado, who went on to head St. Vincent's hospital St. Johns County but has since left the company.
Rinks' career in health care began in 2006. He held top administrative positions at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City; Regional Hospital of Jackson in Jackson, Tenn.; High Point Health Systems in Gallatin, Tenn.; and other facilities in Georgia, Florida and Virginia, according to his LinkedIn page.
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He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance and economics from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a master’s degree in health services administration from Strayer University.
"I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this team and further the mission of St. Vincent’s Southside," Rinks said. "We will continue to put our patients first and provide unparalleled care for those in our community who need it most."
The hospital is at 4201 Belfort Road.
Who is the new president and CEO of St. Vincent's Clay?
Walrath has about 25 years of leadership experience, including about 20 years of military service, and replaces Rinks. He led operations for multiple U.S. Army medical facilities. Previously he was president and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, St. Vincent’s sister health system, from 2022 until this year.
He has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and master's degrees in building construction and architectural engineering, both from Georgia Tech.
Since St. Vincent’s Clay opened in Middleburg in 2013, the hospital's "dedication to its community has been evident," Walrath said. "I look forward to leading this nationally recognized hospital, in service of best fitting the needs of our neighbors who need care."
The hospital is at 1670 St. Vincent's Way, off Branan Field Road.
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Who leads the other Jacksonville-area St. Vincent's hospitals?
President and CEO of St. Vincent's Riverside is Scott Kashman, while St. Vincent's St. Johns County has Cory Darling in the top office. The St. Johns facility is the system's newest, opening in 2022.
bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals in Jacksonville and Clay get new CEOs
