Memorial Satilla Health CEO Dale Neely now also serves on the board of the Pierce County Industrial Building Authority (IDBA).
Neely’s appointment to the IDBA was recently confirmed by a unanimous vote of the county commission at last month’s regular meeting and October 16 marked was his first regular meeting of the IDBA. Neely will serve for the remainder of retired board member Bobby Tippins’s unexpired term.
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Neely received his BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee and a MBA from Vanderbilt University. He has worked in hospital administration for 20 years. Upon accepting the CEO position at Memorial Satilla, Neely bought a home in Pierce County and has lived here for about a year and a half.
As for how Neely came to fill the empty chair at the IDBA table, Neely said, “Matt Carter called me and explained the purpose of the IDBA and its mission. He asked if I would be interested in joining the Board. I saw it as a great opportunity to be more involved in our community.”
Neely says that hospital administration is very challenging, but enjoys the work and feels it has well prepared him to assist the IDBA. “You never know what issue you will be dealing with today, whether it’s related to staffing, physician coverage or the actual physical plant,” says Neely. “It’s also extremely rewarding. I enjoy int eracting with comm unity members and listening to how we impacted their life or the life of a loved one.”
Seeing a connection between improving both health and the business outcomes in the area, Neely looks forward to applying his unique experiences to working with the IDBA. “I think being an outsider and having worked in different communities, both small and large, helps me bring a different perspective to the board,” says Neely. “As a hospital administrator, I am constantly recruiting, whether it’s staff or physicians. Bringing in new businesses and industries not only benefits the community, it also benefits the hospital.”
At Neely’s first regular meeting with the IDBA, County Manager Raphel Maddox inquired what it would take to get a hospital in Blackshear again. Neely explained there is a certificate of need process that must be gone through in Georgia and “with Waycross so close, it would be difficult.”
That said, as a county resident, Pierce is on Neely’s mind. “We are always looking for opportunities to grow our business and provide additional services to the counties we serve.”
Memorial Satilla Health CEO Dave Neely was recently approved by the county commission to serve out the remainder of recent retiree Bobby Tippins’s unexpired term with the IDBA.
