The Louisiana Hospital Association announced its 2017-2018 Board of Trustee officers and newly-elected board members during its annual business meeting on July 17.
“The LHA congratulates the new, and returning, members of our board, and thanks them for their ongoing work,” said LHA President and CEO Paul A. Salles. “As a result of their leadership and initiative, hospitals continue to make meaningful investments to save lives and improve patient outcomes through the Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks, and other quality improvement programs.”
Pictured here, James E. Cathey, Jr., CEO Emeritus of North Oaks Health System in Hammond, will serve as the LHA Board of Trustees Chair. He received the gavel from Charles D. Daigle, FACHE, senior vice president and COO of Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport, who will now serve as Immediate Past Chair.
David L. Callecod, FACHE, president of Lafayette General Health, will serve as the association’s Chair-Elect, and Phyllis L. Peoples, president and CEO of Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, was elected Treasurer.
In addition to the officers, the LHA Board of Trustees is comprised of At-Large and District Trustees. William Lunn, MD, chief executive officer of Tulane Health System in New Orleans, and William Weaver, chief executive officer of Brentwood Hospital in Shreveport, were elected as At-Large Trustees for two-year terms, respectively. Greg C. Feirn, CPA, president and CEO of LCMC Health in New Orleans, was re-elected to a second term as an At-Large Trustee.
Nancy R. Hellyer, RN, FACHE, chief executive officer of CHRISTUS Central Louisiana in Alexandria, was elected to a two-year term as the Central District Trustee, and Rene J. Ragas, president and CEO of Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa, was elected to a two-year term as the Southeast District Trustee. Todd Eppler, FACHE, chief executive officer of Desoto Regional Health System in Mansfield, was re-elected to a second term as the Northwest District Trustee.
Additional biographical information for the board officers is found below:
James E. “Jimmy” Cathey
James E. “Jimmy” Cathey, Jr. is CEO Emeritus of North Oaks Health System based in Hammond. He is an alumnus of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and worked toward an MBA. Prior to accepting his current position with North Oaks in January of 2017, he served as the health system’s president and CEO for 30 years, during which time the organization transformed from a single, acute-care hospital to one of Louisiana’s largest and most progressive community health systems. Before his association with North Oaks, he served in administrative positions with several healthcare organizations throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. Cathey has been a member of the LHA for 30 years. He has served as the Chair-Elect, the Treasurer, and an At-Large Trustee of the LHA’s Board of Trustees, as well as president of LHA’s Southeast District. In 2004, the Louisiana Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing presented him with the Golden Pelican President’s Award. He has been a member of the Rotary Club for more than 40 years, serving in several chapters, most recently in Hammond. He also belongs to the Northshore Business Council and Northshore Healthcare Alliance, for which he is a past president. As a former high school basketball referee, he continues to fulfill his passion for sports by serving on the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce’s steering committee, which is responsible for hosting the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s annual “Top 28” state basketball tournament every year it has taken place in Hammond.
David L. Callecod, FACHE
David L. Callecod is president of Lafayette General Health (LGH), a position he has held since its inception in May of 2013, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. As president of LGH, he presides over the largest healthcare system in Acadiana, which encompasses a 10-parish area of Louisiana. Callecod first came to Lafayette General in July of 2008, when he was named CEO of Lafayette General Medical Center. In October of 2011, Callecod was inducted into Studer Group’s Fire Starter Hall of Fame at the “What’s Right in Health Care” conference. Prior to joining Lafayette General, Callecod served as the president and CEO at Marion General Hospital in Marion, Indiana from 2003-08. He received the 2005 Regent’s Award as an outstanding healthcare executive from the American College of Healthcare Executives. Callecod began his career in 1989 at AMI Culver Union Hospital in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He then served as CEO at Tenet Healthcare hospitals in Indianapolis, Indiana and Searcy, Arkansas from 1999-2003. In 2001, Callecod was recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal as a “40 under 40” award winner. That same year, he was bestowed an Outstanding Achievement Award in Business from Indiana Wesleyan University. Callecod received a Bachelor of Arts from Wabash College in 1989 and a Masters of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in 1994. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by IWU in 2007. Continuing a strong community presence, Callecod is active on many local boards, including the Louisiana Hospital Association, Blueprint Louisiana, One Acadiana CEO Council, and American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board.
Phyllis L. Peoples
Phyllis L. Peoples has served as the president and chief executive officer of Terrebonne General Medical Center since 2003. A native of Houma, Peoples has worked in healthcare administration for more than 24 years. She is currently a member of the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 7, and a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. She serves as the chair of the LHA Quality Committee, and is a member of the LHA Research and Education Foundation Board. She has been a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 2001, most recently completing a two-year term as president of the Louisiana Chapter of Healthcare Executives. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and two master’s degrees from Valdosta State University in Administration and Education, respectively, as well as a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Tulane University. She is a member of and has served on the boards of numerous other local, state, and national organizations. She was recognized as a community Role Model for 2011 by the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans, and was awarded the Golden Pelican President’s Award by the Louisiana Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing. She was also honored as one of the New Orleans CityBusinesses’ Health Care Heroes for 2012, and as one of the CityBusiness 2013 Women of the Year.