River Park names three new directors

Dux announced Jenny Grady as the new director of the family birthing unit, Jeff Johnson as the facility?s director of information systems, and Rob Wheeler as director of strategic development.

Thirty years of nursing experience prepared Grady to take over as River Park?s family birthing director. Grady comes to River Park from a large birthing center in Michigan. She received her BSN in nursing from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, and just last year earned her master?s degree in nursing education and management from Saginaw Valley State University. Grady is married with two grown children.

According to Dux, Jeff Johnson?s long history in healthcare information technology has him well prepared for this position, as one of his primary duties will be to oversee the computer systems and hardware at River Park Hospital. Johnson looks forward to this new opportunity.

?More and more, we see the healthcare industry turning to technology to assist in obtaining information quickly and helping improve processes,? Johnson said. ?I believe I have a lot to contribute in this arena and look forward to working each department to assist them with their initiatives.?

After earning a BS in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University, Johnson worked with a small company that installed physician practice management software. Johnson then became the director of information systems at North Monroe Hospital in Louisiana before serving as the director of information systems at Women?s and Children?s Hospital, also in Louisiana.

Johnson and his wife, Jennifer, have three children, ages 3, 5, and 7, who are, according to Johnson, excited about this move, since they have never seen snow and can?t wait to build a snowman.

As director of strategic development, Rob Wheeler will be overseeing marketing, public relations and volunteer services for the hospital. Most recently, Wheeler served as regional marketing manager for MMA Creative in Cookeville, and as an advertising representative for the Cumberland Business Journal.

?I?m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of River Park Hospital,? Wheeler said. ?I?ve always loved this area, and I look forward to giving this community a better idea of how River Park adds to its high quality of life.?

According to Dux, Wheeler?s hiring is another step in River Park?s effort to improve its relationship with the community. Nashville-based Capella Healthcare purchased River Park from HCA in 2005 with the intent of renewing River Park?s commitment to the community.

Wheeler earned his BS in English/ journalism from Tennessee Tech. Currently, Wheeler and his wife, Beth, co-owner of Stage One Dance Studio in Cookeville, live in Putnam County and have a 2-year-old son, Graham.

River Park Hospital is a 125-bed facility that serves over 115,000 residents in an eight-county region.