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Blue Ridge getting new CEO in April

Richard Hudespeth will become CEO of Blue Ridge Community Health Services on April 1.

The medical director of Blue Ridge Community Health Services will become CEO of the nonprofit health care provider on April 1 when CEO Jennifer Henderson transitions to a senior development role, BRCHS announced on Thursday.

Dr. Richard Hudspeth will become the new CEO at BRCHS on April 1 in a move the agency said in a news release was the result of a year-long strategic plan.

“We realized that succession planning played an essential role in our strategic plan,” BRCHS Board Chair Cindy Pierce said. “During the process, we also identified the organization’s need for an even greater emphasis on business development activities. Given the growth already established under her leadership, Jennifer requested to move from CEO into a role solely focused on new ventures, expanded services, affiliations and partnerships. The board then worked closely with Jennifer and BRCHS leadership to identify her best possible executive successor.”

“Richard brings strong physician leadership skills to his new role," Pierce said. "During his short time with BRCHS as CMO, he has already demonstrated his commitment to our patients, mission and quality. He has quickly become a valuable member of a strong leadership team that works exceptionally well together. We look forward to what his leadership will bring as CEO."

Since Henderson joined the organization as CEO, the non-profit health center has experienced dramatic growth from serving 10,000 patients in two locations in 2007, to serving over 40,000 active patients in 13 locations across western North Carolina in 2015.
“I’m confident that BRCHS has the right people in the right places to position BRCHS well for the future," Henderson said.
Hudspeth has served as the Chief Medical Officer since May of 2015 and on the BRCHS medical staff since June 2013. He has been practicing in Henderson County as faculty in the MAHEC Hendersonville Family Practice Residency program at Hendersonville Family Health Center, as well as at the Henderson County Health Department and Pardee Hospital for over 10 years. Prior to assuming the position of CMO, Dr. Hudspeth served as the Medical Director for Community Care of Western North Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He did an obstetrics fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he practiced in a community health center before returning to North Carolina.
BRCHS is a non-profit community health center that operates medical, dental and mental health care at Blue Ridge Health Center, Hendersonville Family Health Center; Seventh Avenue Health Center in Hendersonville; Brevard Health Center, Arden Health Center, Rutherford Health Center in Spindale, and the Polk Health Center in Columbus and in four Henderson County Public Schools.