February 16, 2008
Contact: (434) 200.4731

Centra President George W. Dawson has appointed Thomas C. Jividen to the newly created position of executive vice president of Centra, and promoted two Centra vice presidents, E.W. Tibbs and David Adams, to senior vice president positions with added responsibilities.

“These organizational changes will ensure our continued success as a regional integrated healthcare system,” said Dawson, Centra president and CEO, “and they will help us focus on our opportunities and challenges ahead.

“Tom Jividen has been a major part of Centra’s success, and he brings tremendous knowledge and leadership to his new role as the second ranking executive in Centra.”

Dawson said Jividen will lead other executives in addressing operational issues across Centra’s many operating units in addition to his current responsibilities. Since coming to Lynchburg in 1980, Jividen has had a broad array of operational and leadership responsibilities. He most recently served as Centra senior vice president for diversified services with leadership responsibilities for senior and rehabilitative services, mental health services, cardiology, oncology and medical practices. In his new role as Centra executive vice president, Jividen also gains administrative leadership for Centra’s Department of Education, Human Resources and corporate architectural services.

Dawson noted that Jividen will work closely with Chalmers Nunn, M.D., who joined Centra in January as Centra chief medical officer and senior vice president. Nunn has responsibility for Centra’s quality improvement and patient safety efforts and works with Centra’s medical staff and medical staff leadership. Nunn also will lead Centra’s medical services organization. In addition Jividen and Nunn will work together as a team to continue to align Centra with the private medical practice community.

Dawson also promoted Centra executive E.W. Tibbs to the position of senior vice president of operations and David Adams to senior vice president of senior services and rehabilitation. Tibbs, who joined Centra in 2006, will continue to have responsibility for surgical, emergency and radiology services while assuming new departmental responsibilities for laboratory services, respiratory services and plant engineering. Adams, who joined Centra in 1999, will continue his responsibilities for Centra’s broad range of post acute care and rehabilitative services. He also will lead Centra’s clinical effectiveness efforts and new PACE program, while supporting the growth of the Long Term Acute Care Hospital within Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital.

In her role as Centra senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer, Patti McCue, Sc.D., R.N., leads the development and evolution of nursing practice and patient care activities across Centra. She also will gain executive responsibility for Centra Lynchburg General Hospital School of Nursing and Centra School of Practical Nursing, Dawson said. She will continue to guide pharmacy, volunteer services, food and nutrition services, environmental services, security and infection control.

Lewis Addison, senior vice president and chief financial officer, is Centra’s chief business officer and he will continue to lead Centra’s financial and accounting administration, business development and analysis efforts, material management and supply services, clinical coding and health information and risk management and regulatory services.

Gwen Eddleman, Ed.D., Centra senior vice president and president and CEO of Centra Southside Community Hospital, will continue to lead the operations and development of Southside Community Hospital, which serves patients in Farmville and eight counties.

“With Centra’s continued growing national recognition for quality outcomes and increasing regional demand for services, these executives, together with the important leadership of our vice presidents, provide Centra with the highly-qualified and experienced team we need for the future,” Dawson said. “We are renewing our emphasis and commitment toward excellent care, with a focus on patient safety.”