MARIETTA, Ga. (July 5, 2016) – WellStar Health System announced new leadership on the WellStar Board of Trustees and welcomed two new community leaders to the Board.
On July 1, David Hafner, M.D., partner at Vascular Surgical Associates, PC, assumed the role of chair, succeeding Gary Miller who has served as chair of the Board for the past two years and remains a board member. Otis Brumby, III, president of Times-Journal, Inc., became vice chair.
“Dr. Hafner is a strong physician and community leader who has served our patients and communities for 30 years,” said Gary Miller, past chair of the WellStar Board of Trustees. “He played an integral role in the recent acquisition of Tenet’s Atlanta-based hospitals and partnership with West Georgia Medical Center by chairing the Physician Advisory Council. He also serves on the WellStar Clinical Partners Board. I have been privileged to serve on the Board with Dr. Hafner for a number of years and look forward to continuing to work with him as we provide continued guidance, leadership and support for our System.”
As a not-for-profit health system, the 20-member WellStar Board of Trustees has created the vision and strategy focused on delivering world-class healthcare. During Miller’s two-year term as chair, WellStar expanded to become the largest health system in Georgia, launched a Graduate Medical Education Program, and opened a new health park in East Cobb County.
“As a community health system, WellStar relies on our Board leadership as we continue to focus on delivering high quality care, improving access, addressing affordability and remaining an Employer of Choice,” said Candice Saunders, president & CEO of WellStar Health System. “I would like to thank Gary Miller for his exceptional leadership as chair. Through his leadership, we have remained steadfast in our healthcare delivery approach by keeping our patients and communities at the forefront of every decision.”
Dr. Hafner and Brumby will each serve a two-year term in their respective roles. Following that time, Brumby will be named chair.
WellStar is also pleased to announce that H. Speer Burdette, III and Michael B. Patton joined the Board of Trustees in April.
David H. Hafner, M.D., FACS, Chair
David Hafner, M.D., is the CEO of Vascular Surgical Associates, PC, Vice Chair of WellStar Clinical Partners and medical director of WellStar Kennestone Hospital’s Wound Clinic. He is board certified in surgery with the added board certification qualification in vascular surgery, and is a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Hafner received his undergraduate degree in biology at Georgia Institute of Technology and received his medical degree at the Georgia Health Sciences University. He completed his internship, residency, and vascular fellowship at Emory University affiliated hospitals.
Otis A. Brumby, III, Vice Chair
Otis Brumby received his B.B.A. in finance from The University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, and his J.D. from The University of Georgia’s College of Law. Brumby is president of Times-Journal, Inc. that publishes 3 daily and over 30 weekly community newspapers and magazines in suburban Atlanta, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. Brumby is greatly involved with numerous civic and professional organizations across Cobb County and the state.
Speer Burdette, III
A native of LaGrange, Ga., Speer Burdette is president of Callaway Foundation, Inc., Fuller E. Callaway Foundation, and Charitable Services Company. Burdette received a B.A. in Math from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Accounting from the University of Alabama. He has served on the West Georgia Health System Board of Trustees since 2009, including a term as board chair, and joined the WellStar Board of Trustees in 2016. He is active on the boards of the Downtown LaGrange Development Authority, Troup Country Recreation Commission, Industrial Development Authority, LaGrange Personal Aid Association, Medical Park Foundation and LaGrange College. Burdette is an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in LaGrange.
Michael B. Patton
Mike Patton currently owns and operates, with his sons, three local auto dealerships, including seven franchises in LaGrange, Ga. He attended the University of South Carolina and Garner-Webb University. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard for six years. Patton is an active leader in his community, volunteering at a number of organizations, including LaGrange Chamber of Commerce, Boys and Girls Club of West Georgia and First Baptist Church in LaGrange, where he holds numerous leadership positions and serves as a deacon. In addition, he has served on the West Georgia Health System Board of Trustees for more than 20 years with multiple terms as board chair. He joined the WellStar Board of Trustees in 2016.
About WellStar Health System
WellStar Health System, the largest health system in Georgia, is known nationally for its innovative care models, focused on improving quality and access to healthcare. WellStar consists of WellStar Medical Group, 240 medical office locations, outpatient centers, health parks, a pediatric center, nursing centers, hospice, homecare, as well as 11 hospitals: WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South, WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center (anchored by WellStar Kennestone Hospital), WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, and WellStar Cobb, Douglas, North Fulton, Paulding, Spalding Regional, Sylvan Grove and Windy Hill hospitals. As a not-for-profit, WellStar continues to reinvest in the health of the communities it serves with new technologies and treatments. For more information, visit wellstar.org.
