A special educational opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to be mentored by local Executives. Early careerist and others in transition also encouraged to attend.

Presenters include:

Robert Earley, CEO, JPS Health Network
Bob S. Ellzey, FACHE, President, Texas Health Azle
Kent Helwig, CEO, Select Specialty Hospital Dallas-Garland
Brett McClung, FACHE, Texas Health Division President
John Phillips, President, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
Jared Shelton, FACHE, President, Texas Health Allen
Michael Wiggins, Administrator, Children’s Medical Center Plano

Agenda

7pm-7:10pm – Introductions
7:10-7:40pm – CEO Panel discussion moderated by Britt Berrett, FACHE
7:40-7:55pm –Q&A with Panel
8-8:10pm – Breakout Speaker Rotation #1: ASCs.  Speakers: Shelton & McClung
8:10-8:20pm – Breakout Speaker Rotation #2: Health Informatics/Business Analytics..  Speaker: Wiggins
8:20-8:30pm – Breakout Speaker Rotation #3: Career Progression.  Speakers: Phillips & Helwig.
8:30-8:40pm – Breakout Speaker Rotation #4.  Career Lines.  Speakers: Earley and Ellzey.
8:40-9pm – Networking / Individual Q&A with speakers – in the foyer of the auditorium

Speaker Bios

Robert Earley’s journeyfrom South Texas to CEO of Tarrant County’s public supported healthcare system was anything but a straight line.

A political science graduate from the University of North Texas, Earley put that degree to use as a staff assistant to a Texas congressman in our nation’s capital. His D.C. experience sparked his own political aspirations and Earley returned to Texas to run for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives. He was only 23 when elected in 1984 to represent his South Texas hometown. He served 10 years before choosing not to seek re-election in 1995.

Before joining JPS Health Network in 2005 as a senior VP focused on community and government affairs, Earley taught college courses, ran an Austin-based public affairs firm and served as an on-air political analyst for NBC’s affiliate station in Austin. The Tarrant County Hospital District Board of Managers appointed him interim president and CEO in May 2008 and in February 2009 he was named president and CEO.

Earley holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Texas-Arlington. He serves on the boards of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and the Texas Hospital

Bob Ellzey joined Texas Health Resources in 2011 as President of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle, a 36-bed acute care community hospital.

Bob received his Bachelors in Business Administration degree from Baylor University in Waco, and his Masters degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He is a Board Certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is a past president of the East Texas chapter of ACHE and a former Vice President of the Arkansas Health Executive Forum.

Bob began his healthcare career at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, TX in 1991. Since that time he has served as CEO or COO of Texas hospitals in Del Rio, Bellville, and Kilgore.  He left his position as CEO of Mena Regional Health System in Mena, Arkansas to return to Texas as President of Texas Health Azle. He has intentionally focused his career on improving health in rural communities through rural hospitals, networks, telehealth, and collaborative partnerships.

Bob and his wife Susan have two sons and two daughters-in-law.

As Chief Executive Officer, Kent Helwig is responsible for providing the leadership and guidance of a 40-bed long-term acute care hospital.  Select Specialty Hospital – Dallas-Garland has specialized programs in pulmonary medicine and treats a wide variety of patients with chronic critical illnesses, complex medical conditions and severe wounds.

Prior to arriving in Garland, Kent was the CEO of Select Specialty Hospital – Colorado Springs.  Before joining Select Medical Corporation, Kent served as the President and CEO of Southwest Health System in Cortez, Colorado, and as the Assistant Vice President for Ambulatory Operations at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.  Prior to these positions he served in the United States Air Force for over 21 years, including roles as CEO, COO, and vice president at both the hospital and health system levels, retiring with the rank of Colonel.  He has experience in multiple facets of hospital and health system operations.

He received his Bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois and a Master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kent is board certified in healthcare management and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.  He has served as both a Governor and Regent with the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Brett S. McClung, FACHE, is the executive vice president and North Zone Operations Leader for Texas Health Resources.  He has operating responsibility for owned and partnered assets in the northern 6 county region of Texas driving over $1.4 billion in total operating revenue.

Prior to this role, McClung served as president of hospitals in suburban and large urban markets and has been associated with Texas Health Resources and Harris Methodist in various roles since 1993.  Among others, McClung volunteers his leadership to: March of Dimes, Dallas Division Board of Directors, Healthy Tarrant County Collaboration (past chair), Trinity University Healthcare Advisory Council, and faculty/moderator for American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

McClung’s honors include being a Wharton Fellow with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and being a Marshall Memorial Leadership Fellow with the German Marshall Fund of the United States.  He also has been recognized as the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Young Executive of the Year, the Early Careerist Healthcare Executive Award from ACHE, and “40 Business Leaders under 40” recognition from the Fort Worth Business Press.  McClung earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Southwestern University and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University.  He and his wife Nancy have been married for 25 years and have two daughters, Madison a Senior at Stanford University and Mackenzie, a Freshman at University of Southern California.

John Phillips is president of Methodist Mansfield Medical Center. He oversees a 254-bed non-profit tertiary, acute care hospital with more than 1,000 employees and 200 physicians. Phillips has been instrumental in growing the hospital, which opened  the Amon G. Carter Foundation Heart and Vascular Center in December, to continue to meet the needs of the communities in Tarrant, Johnson and Ellis counties.

Under Phillips’ leadership, the hospital was named a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission for improving outcomes in patient care and specific national quality measures, and earned Cycle IV Chest Pain Center and Advanced Primary Stroke Center accreditation and the Texas Award for Performance Excellence. Methodist Mansfield was voted Best Emergency Department by the Mansfield New Mirror, Outstanding Large Business of the Year by the Methodist Mansfield Chamber of Commerce, and received the Community Partnership Award from the Mansfield ISD to name a few.  Methodist Health System, of which Methodist Mansfield is a part, was named among the Top 10 Best Places to Work by the Dallas Business Journal, 12 years in a row, listed among the top 150 Best Places to Work in healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review, and recognized as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association.

Among his many accomplishments, he was named Executive of the Year from the Fort Worth Business Press and is among Becker’s Hospital Review’s top CEOs.

Phillips earned a MBA from Hardin-Simmons University and a Master of Health Care Administration from Trinity University.

He currently serves on the Texas Hospital Association Council of Policy Development and HOSPAC. Locally, Phillips serves on the board of directors for the Tarrant County American Heart Association, Mansfield Economic Development Corporation, Mansfield ISD Education Foundation Board, and Arlington YMCA Community Advisory Board.

Jared Shelton, FACHE serves as president of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen, a role he assumed in January 2016.

He has primary oversight of day-to-day activities and responsibility for the hospital’s annual operating plan and shares leadership responsibilities with Chief Medical Officer Robert Schwab, M.D., and Chief Nursing Officer Elizabeth Asturi, MSN, R.N., NE-BC.

Shelton previously served as vice president of Professional & Support Services for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where he oversaw clinical ancillary and support departments, including pharmacy, radiology, laboratory services, respiratory therapy, food and nutrition services, rehab rherapies and medical physics.

Shelton completed his undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and a minor in Religion. He went on to earn his M.H.A. from Trinity University.

Shelton currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North Texas chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Allen Fairview Chamber of Commerce.

Outside of work, Shelton and his wife, Kathryn, enjoy parenthood with their toddler daughter, Mackenzie, and new son, Jack. They are active members at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, and he is a member of the Wake Forest Young Alumni Development Board.

Michael Wiggins is a Sr. Vice President at Children’s Health System of Texas and serves as the Administrator for Children’s Medical Center Plano. He is responsible for the strategic direction, operational outcomes and financial performance of the Children’s Health campus in Plano, TX.

Before joining Children’s Health, he was Vice President, Operations at Children’s of Alabama. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer for Lewis-Gale Clinic in Roanoke, VA and Executive Director of Mercy Health Center in Bentonville, AR. Michael has over 24 years of healthcare leadership experience including roles in hospitals, health systems, physician practices and ambulatory surgery centers. He has served in for-profit, not-for-profit, and academic medical centers.

Michael’s community service includes the Board of Directors for the Child Advocacy Center of Collin County, Board of Managers for the Plano Family YMCA and the Board of Directors for the Legacy Association business district.

Michael is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.  He earned a B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as a M.A. from Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, VA.

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