COOKEVILLE – Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC), one of Tennessee’s leading healthcare providers, announced today that it has welcomed new chief strategy officer Ricky Shelton to its administrative team.
Shelton has been an instrumental part of the community for many years. He presently serves as mayor of the city of Cookeville and has been a visionary and transformative leader in city government for 15 years. Since 2007, Shelton has worked for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals where he received many recognitions and awards for his successful leadership style and regional market sales growth.
The chief strategy officer position will serve as a key advisor to the CEO and will oversee Business Strategy/Planning/Development while identifying new business opportunities based on research and analysis. The CSO will also oversee a portfolio that includes Marketing/Communications/Public Relations, Physician Recruitment/Relationship/Outreach, Government Relations, Safety, Security and Special Projects. Shelton will start this new position on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
“I look forward to working with Ricky as he helps guide strategic planning and implementation of the needs of the medical center,” stated Paul Korth, chief executive officer at Cookeville Regional. “He will lead in development and implementation of the facility business strategy as we review our master facility plans in 2021.”
“I am greatly humbled to be given the opportunity to serve in this capacity to help lead the future development and strategies of our great medical center. CRMC is a vital driver for not only Cookeville and Putnam County, but also our entire region. I’m excited to have the opportunity to serve on the team and to help shape CRMC’s future,” stated Shelton.
Shelton, a Cookeville native and lifelong resident, received his Bachelor of Science in business administration and marketing at Tennessee Technological University. Shelton currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport, Joint Economic and Community Development Board, E911, UCHRA and UCDD. Shelton recently was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee to serve on the Tennessee Homeland Security Council.
Shelton and wife, Shannon, take great pride in Cookeville and are energetically engaged in their community. They are parents to six children, SaraBeth, Logan, Ben, Reagan and twins, Sofia and Mia. The Sheltons are active members of Life Church.
Cookeville Regional Medical Center:
Serving the area since 1950, Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC) is a progressive 247-bed regional referral center serving more than 350,000 residents in the Upper Cumberland region of Middle Tennessee. With almost 200 physicians in 40 different medical and surgical specialties, Cookeville Regional offers patients the same kind of care that they could expect in a larger metropolitan area including specialty care such as cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac and thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, pulmonology, cancer treatment, orthopedics, physical rehabilitation and neurosurgery. CRMC is recognized as Tennessee’s only hospital to receive the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery Award for nine consecutive years and Tennessee’s only hospital to receive the Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award for three consecutive years, according to Healthgrades’ 2020 national report.
