Baptist Health Names Two Top Executives

Jacksonville, Fl., May 17, 2005 - Baptist Health has announced that Joseph M. Mitrick, FACHE, and Mark F. Slyter, CHE, will fill the positions of administrator for Baptist Medical Center Downtown (Baptist Downtown) and Baptist Medical Center Beaches (Baptist Beaches).

Mitrick moves from his current position of administrator of Baptist Beaches to Baptist Downtown, while Slyter, who served as vice president of operations for Baptist Health, takes over the administrative position at Baptist Beaches.

Mitrick has been administrator at Baptist Beaches since 1997, having previously served as vice president of Professional Services, Baptist/St. Vincent's.

Mitrick obtained a master's of health administration from Ohio State University and a bachelor of arts from Kent State University. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the boards of directors of Fleet Landing, Health America Credit Union and the Beaches Division of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Exchange Club of the Jacksonville Beaches and assistant chairman, First Aid Committee, The Players' Championship.

"The past eight years at Baptist Beaches have been a wonderful experience for me, and I am honored to now have the opportunity to work at Baptist Downtown," says Mitrick. "John Wilbanks has done an outstanding job as administrator there and the hospital has so much of which to be proud. I look forward to working closely with the medical staff, employees and auxiliary as we continue to serve the health care needs of our community."

John Wilbanks, FACHE, served as administrator for Baptist Downtown before assuming the new role of chief operating officer, Baptist Health, in November 2004. He says, "Joe Mitrick has the experience and the personality to successfully handle the demands and challenges of a large tertiary care center with a solid tradition of improving the lives of those in our community and beyond. I have worked with Mark Slyter since his arrival at Baptist Health and have every confidence that he will excel in his new position at Baptist Beaches. He has proved himself in every job he has taken on."

Slyter, who has been vice president of Operations for Baptist Health since 2003, previously served for more than seven years as administrator at Hillcrest Hospital in the Greenville Hospital System in South Carolina.

He says, "A part of the Baptist Health tradition is our strong relationship with the communities we serve. As a resident of the Jacksonville Beaches area, I look forward to working with employees, physicians, volunteers and the community on delivering exceptional health care close to home."

Slyter holds a master's in health services administration and a bachelor of science in exercise science from University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. He received the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Regent's Award as South Carolina's Early Career Healthcare Executive for 2002 and was selected to serve on its Regent's Advisory Council in 2003. He chaired the 2004 Baptist Health United Way Campaign, which exceeded the system goal by more than 18 percent.

"The transition of Mitrick and Slyter to these new roles is a natural step for two people who have already proved themselves to be talented and capable leaders at Baptist Health and in the community," says A. Hugh Greene, FACHE, president, chief executive officer, Baptist Health.