Rush Board of Directors Announces New Leadership, Welcomes New Members

Dec 11, 2017

MERIDIAN, MS - Following the January 24 meeting of the Rush Health Systems Board of Directors, a number of announcements were made including the official naming of Larkin Kennedy as the 103-year-old health systems’ President and CEO.

When Kennedy assumes his new role on January 29, 2018, he will be only the fifth person to lead the organization, the largest and most diverse health system in East Mississippi and West Alabama. He succeeds Wallace Strickland, who retires on Sunday, January 28, following forty-eight years of employment with and service to Rush.

Kennedy has been with Rush since 2010 serving in leadership roles including Vice President of Physician and Clinic Services, Administrator of Rush Foundation Hospital and President of the health systems’ Hospital Division. A native of Inverness, MS, Kennedy received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and master’s degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has earned the designation of Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Prior to joining Rush, he worked with Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation of Memphis, TN. He and his wife Jenny Ruth are the parents of three daughters. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the EMBDC and Lamar School, serves as an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Meridian, MS, was named to The Meridian Star’s Top 20 Under 40 honorees in 2017, is a graduate of Leadership Lauderdale, and was named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s Top’ 40 Under 40 honoree class in 2011.

“The Board of Directors has a great deal of confidence and faith in Larkin Kennedy. He has demonstrated excellent leadership abilities during the time he has been at Rush. He is a very deliberate and determined young man who is committed to continuing the strong traditions of caring and excellence in medicine at Rush.   

Larkin has some very big shoes to fill in those of Wallace Strickland who has an amazing capacity to assimilate information, pay close attention to details and make sound and dynamic business decisions all while keeping his finger on the pulse of the organization.  

It is nearly impossible to delineate all the many ways Wallace Strickland has impacted the success of the health system. For almost half a century, he has been at the heart of its operations. If you traced the origins of any successful venture initiated at Rush in the last five decades, at its foundation, you would find evidence of Wallace Strickland’s involvement, vision, hard work and perseverance.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to say we are so pleased that Wallace will continue to serve Rush as the Chairman of the health system’s Board of Directors. He was elected to serve in that role in the January board meeting. We feel very fortunate that he will continue to help shape the future of Rush and share his expertise in this role,” said Rick Barry, General Counsel of the Rush Health System Board of Directors.

Strickland was elected Chairman of the Rush Health Systems Board of Directors following the January 7 death of J. C. McElroy, Jr. who was also his predecessor as President and CEO of the health system. Two new health system board members joined the group in January, Abdul Lala and Alan Gartrell. Other health system board members include Joe Ann Ramia Creekmore, Marty Davidson, Ray Long, Faye Martin and Dr. Vaughan Rush.

Abdul Lala is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lala Enterprises. He was born and raised in Surat, India and arrived in the United States in 1971. He attended Texas A&M University where he obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Engineering. Lala Enterprises is a company comprised of 700 employees that oversees the operations of four owner-operated restaurants and twelve hotels.  In addition, Lala Enterprises manages multiple hotels in East Mississippi and West Alabama. He had previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Rush Medical Foundation, which provides guidance to Rush Foundation Hospital and H. C. Watkins Memorial Hospital in Quitman, MS.  He serves and has served the community on many boards and organizations including the East Mississippi Business Development Association and the Lauderdale County Board of Tourism.

Alan Gartrell is a Meridian native who graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business in 1968. He served in the Air National Guard in Meridian and received an honorable discharge after a six-year tour. Alan worked in the automotive aftermarket field as an owner and manager in both the engine rebuilding and the engine parts businesses. He retired in 2012 but still retains ownership and board membership in his company, The Internal Engine Parts Group, Inc. Following retirement, Gartrell began serving as facility administrator of his church, First Presbyterian Church of Meridian.  Prior to being named to the health systems’ board, he served on the Rush Medical Foundation board which provides guidance to Rush Foundation Hospital and H. C. Watkins Memorial Hospital in Quitman, MS.  

“Both Mr. Gartrell and Mr. Lala have been outstanding board members for the medical foundation. In addition to bringing a great deal of business expertise and integrity to our board, they both care deeply about the level of healthcare that our community receives. We know they are committed to helping Rush remain strong and viable for future generations,” said Wallace Strickland, Chairman of the Rush Health System Board of Directors.

Rush Health Systems is the largest, most diverse medical system in East Mississippi and West Alabama. With a 103-year legacy of medical innovation, quality care and service to others, Rush Health Systems is comprised of 7 hospitals and 26 primary care clinics, with 250 staff and contracted physicians and 95 advance-practice providers.  Rush is the largest non-governmental employer in the region. Rush Health Systems includes Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, MS; The Specialty Hospital of Meridian, MS; Medical Foundation, Inc., Laird Hospital, Union, MS; H.C. Watkins Hospital, Quitman, MS; Scott Regional Hospital, Morton, MS; John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital, DeKalb, MS, and Choctaw General Hospital in Butler, AL. For more information, please visit rushhealthsystems.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.