Richards named CEO at River Oaks

J. Dale Armour, Mississippi Divisional Vice President of Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA), recently announced that Davis Richards has been named Chief Executive Officer of River Oaks Health System in Flowood, MS.

Richards began his tenure with HMA in 1997 as Vice President of Support Services at River Oaks Health System, comprised of River Oaks Hospital and Woman’s Hospital, and was promoted in June, 1998 to Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of River Oaks Health System. He was named chief executive officer at Rankin Medical Center, also an HMA facility, in 2002.

“Davis Richards has outstanding physician relations and teambuilding skills. He has done an excellent job at Rankin Medical Center; it is a much stronger community health resource as a result of his leadership.

When you couple Davis’ knowledge of River Oaks’ operations, and his personal commitment to the River Oaks philosophies of legendary service and excellence in healthcare, it makes him the obvious choice for the position,” Armour said in making the announcement.

Prior to joining HMA, Richards served as Associate Administrator of Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, MS, and as Senior Vice President with the Mississippi Hospital Association, Assistant Executive Director of the Mississippi State Medical Association, and Manager and Director of the Medicaid Claims Department of BlueCross BlueShield of Mississippi, Inc.

A native of Canton, MS, Richards received his Associate of Arts degree from Holmes Community College and his Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University. He earned a Master of Business Administration and Master of Hospital Administration degrees from Mississippi College. He is a Certified Health Care Risk Manager through the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management. He is an Associate of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the Rank of Commander after 24 years of service in 2001. During his military tenure he worked within the Navy’s Medical Service Corp in Hospital Administration and in support of Marine Field Units.

Richards and his wife, Mary Ann, live in Brandon and are the parents of three children and five grandchildren.