Centra Southside Community Hospital

Dawson led the transformation of Centra from two community hospitals to a major healthcare system nationally recognized for quality and safety. Today, nonprofit Centra has 6,000 employees, a medical staff of more than 400, Lynchburg General, Virginia Baptist and Southside Community hospitals, health and rehabilitation centers, a cancer center and physician practices serving an area from Bedford to Farmville and from Nelson County to Danville. In addition, Centra's services include residential and outpatient mental health facilities, home health and hospice programs, mammography centers, a sleep disorders center and a center for wound care and hyperbaric medicine.

Centra has had tremendous growth in its regional service area, earned dozens of national awards for quality, service, safety and patient satisfaction, and is known for its efficiency and financial stability.

While Dawson is proud of these accomplishments, he is quick to credit the results to a great team. "I've been privileged to work with so many talented and caring Centra employees and great doctors," he said. "Centra's top notch executives and dedicated community Board of Directors have focused on excellent patient care for the entire region. We all have a lot of pride in what we do and accomplish together."

"All of us who live in the communities served by Centra owe George Dawson a tremendous debt of gratitude. He has devoted a big part of his life to Centra and gaining the quality of care worthy of national rankings," said Ken White, chair of the Centra Board of Directors. "Quality of care and patient service are the hallmarks of his leadership.

"Unfortunately for our region, he wants to retire. For several years he has told us this day would come, but it doesn't make it any easier to hear. Not only is everyone at Centra in Lynchburg and Farmville losing his leadership, but also his day to day friendship as a colleague."

"I will miss my Centra job, but this year is the right time for this transition," Dawson said. "More than a year ago, Rosemary and I decided that 2011 would be the year we would begin to focus more of our time on each other and on our other deep interests. I must admit, in my current role, I am not very good at the 'work/life balance' challenge.

"I shared our decision with the Centra board and they began the important task of succession planning. Centra is blessed to have a board of experienced regional leaders and I applaud them for their thoughtful and consistent leadership of Centra's regional healthcare mission."

White said the Centra board has appointed a search committee and has engaged a nationally recognized executive search firm to identify candidates as Dawson's successor. He expects the board to make its decision on a new CEO as early as this summer. Current Centra executives who express an interest will be considered as well as candidates from across the country.

"It is natural, I think, for people to perhaps wonder whether there will be a change in our direction as we transition to new leadership. The answer to that is 'no.' I want to make it clear that the Centra board remains strongly committed to the strategy of a locally governed, nonprofit integrated healthcare system providing a broad range of healthcare services to central and southside Virginia," White said.

About George Dawson

A native of Crozet, Virginia, Dawson has lifelong ties to central Virginia and has spent most of his adult life in this region of Virginia. He came to Lynchburg in 1980 as executive director of Virginia Baptist Hospital and led Virginia Baptist during a period of major campus expansion and the establishment of the cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery services in Lynchburg. Mental health services were also substantially expanded including the establishment of Bridges Treatment Center, Rivermont Schools, Pathways and Piedmont Psychiatric Center. With the merger of Virginia Baptist and Lynchburg General hospitals on Dec. 31, 1986, he was selected to lead Centra. During the past 25 years, major additions have been made to the Lynchburg General campus, including the South Building, the East Tower, the Stroobants Heart Center and the Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center nearby. During this period, Centra built Fairmont Crossing Health and Rehabilitation Center in Amherst, The Summit independent living, assisted living and rehabilitation facilities in Wyndhurst and expanded the Guggenheimer Health and Rehabilitation Center. In 2006, Dawson was instrumental in the affiliation agreement between Centra and Southside Community Hospital in Farmville. Today Southside is part of the Centra system. Centra has been active in integrating with physicians, and today more than 175 have practices that are part of Centra.

In 1993, Dawson proposed the creation of the Centra Foundation, which has played a significant role in the region in providing funding for charity care, supporting improvements in Centra facilities and programs, training nurses and other healthcare professionals, offering community education and improving the overall health of the region. Dawson also was instrumental in establishing the Centra Community Health Initiative Fund, which was established in 1997 as a way to reinvest in the community and partner with other organizations on health-related projects. Grants are funded by Centra and administered by Centra Foundation.

In addition, Centra acquired a 50 percent ownership interest in the Bedford Memorial Hospital and partnered in the development of the Surgery Center of Lynchburg and Central Virginia Imaging Center. Centra also partnered with the Lynchburg medical community to create Piedmont Community Health Plan, a local healthcare insurance option.

Dawson holds a master's of hospital administration degree from the Medical College of Virginia/VCU and a bachelor's degree from Wofford College. Dawson served in the United States Army Medical Service Corps for four years. Before moving to central Virginia in 1980, Dawson was associate executive director of the Holston Valley Community Hospital in Kingsport, Tenn.

Dawson has continued to earn accolades for Centra and for his leadership and achievements. This year, Dawson was named the 2010 Distinguished Service Award winner of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. This prestigious award recognized Dawson with the association's highest award as the top individual who has made a real difference to Virginia's hospitals.

In addition, in 2009, Dawson was recognized for his exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of a hospital's mission when he was awarded the national Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award by the American Hospital Association, in partnership with the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Dawson has consistently had the foresight to address regional health issues. He helped spearhead the creation and development of the Piedmont Community Health Plan to proactively address managed care in central Virginia. In addition, he proposed the Centra Community Health Initiative Fund to reinvest in the region through grants to organizations. This fund, administered by the Centra Health Foundation, has made a difference in the overall health of the community through the work of the foundation and through grants to other organizations.

Across Virginia, Dawson has served at the forefront in addressing issues for Virginia's hospitals and health systems with the same innovation and vision that has been a signature of his healthcare career. He has served as chair, vice chair and as a member of the Virginia Hospital Association Board of Directors. He is the vice chair of the VHA Central Atlantic Board of Directors. He also is a Fellow in the America College of Healthcare Executives.

In the central and southside region, Dawson has served in a number of leadership roles in the life of the community—from economic development and community relations to higher education and the arts. Dawson and his wife Rosemary have been honored with the Lynchburg Chapter Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center of Inclusive Communities. Dawson's leadership roles have ranged from the Lynchburg College Board of Trustees and Board of Visitors of Longwood University to the board of directors of Step With Links and the United Way of Central Virginia and Region 2000 Economic Development Partnership to the Academy of Fine Arts and James River Council for the Arts and Humanities. He also serves on the boards of directors for Centra, Centra Southside Community Hospital and Bedford Memorial Hospital.

Since coming to central Virginia, Dawson, Rosemary, and their son, Nick, have been involved in many community activities throughout the region. Rosemary enjoyed a career as a physical education teacher and today is a competitive runner and swimmer. She also is passionate about helping children and animals. She has served as a board member and board chair of New Vistas School, and currently is a board member of the Lynchburg Humane Society. The Dawsons are longtime members of Peakland United Methodist Church. When they retire in central Virginia, they plan to continue to be actively involved in a broad range of endeavors in the regional community.