Leadership

Dr. Mike Schatzlein
Wes Littrell
Alan Strauss 
Bernie Sherry
Gordon B. Ferguson

Dr. Mike Schatzlein
Chief Executive Officer
Saint Thomas Health

Dr. Mike Schatzlein assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint Thomas Health in 2010. He is also the Ascension Health Ministry Market Leader for the Nashville and Birmingham markets. Dr. Schatzlein came to Saint Thomas Health from the Lutheran Health Network in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. Schatzlein had led the 11-facility health system since 2007, having previously served as CEO of the network’s Dupont Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital. Lutheran Health Network serves a 23-county area in northeastern Indiana and Ohio. Dr. Schatzlein received his Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. After receiving his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, he was a practicing cardiac surgeon at Lutheran’s St. Joseph Hospital from 1981 to 1984. From 1984 to 1989, he was Chief of Transplantation at Lutheran Hospital and was a founder of the Northern Indiana Heart Institute in 1986. He transitioned to an executive role in 1997 when he was named vice president, Business Development, at Lutheran Hospital and was later senior vice president for Strategic Development for the Lutheran Health Network.

Dr. Schatzlein spent part of his early career as an assistant to White House Advisor Peter Flanigan in the Nixon administration. He has always been active in community affairs, serving on the board of directors for the United Way of Allen County, the Homeless Ministries Foundation, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. He chaired the capital campaign committee for Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne and served on the Advisory Councils for that university’s School of Medicine and School of Business.

Wes Littrell
Chief Strategy Officer and President
Saint Thomas Health
Wes is a long-time associate of Saint Thomas Hospital and Health. He joined Saint Thomas Hospital as Director of Patient Business Services in 1986 and became Assistant Vice President of Patient Business Services in 1990. Over the years, Wes served in executive roles overseeing surgical services, the regional physician network and, in 2001, was named Senior Vice President and Chief Strategic/Outreach Officer for Saint Thomas Hospital.

With the acquisition of Baptist Health Services and the consequent creation of Saint Thomas Health, Wes was named Senior Vice President for the newly formed system and, later, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Baptist Hospital. Wes, well-regarded for both his operational expertise and his relationship-building skills, was named Chief Operating Officer of Saint Thomas Health in 2007 and in 2008 was named to his current role.

Over the past 20 plus years, Wes has served in executive roles overseeing surgical services, strategic planning, operational, financial, ancillary, physician practice and clinical areas. During his 30 years in the healthcare field, he has held executive positions in for-profit, not-for-profit, faith-based and academic health systems.

Wes received his degree in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of North Alabama and did his post-graduate work in Health Services Administration at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He received certification in patient accounting from the Healthcare Financial Management Association in 1985 and received his designation as Fellow from the American College of Healthcare Executives in 2006. Wes serves on the THA Board of Directors, the CABLE Advisory Board and numerous other joint venture boards. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Nashville.

Saint Thomas Health Affiliates is comprised of the many affiliated organizations including joint ventures, limited liability companies and others that are a vital part of Saint Thomas Health's strategic and financial future.

Alan Strauss
Chief Financial Officer
Saint Thomas Health
Alan was named Chief Financial Officer of Saint Thomas Health in May 2006 and brings nearly 30 years of healthcare finance experience to the role, specializing in affecting rapid advances in multi-facility organizations. Fourteen years of Alan's career were spent at Saint John's Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica, California. At Saint John's, Strauss served as Chief Financial Officer/Operations Leader and as the CEO of Vinserra, a for-profit affiliate of the Health Center. Saint John's is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.

Bernie Sherry
President and Chief Executive Officer
Baptist Hospital
Bernie Sherry joined Baptist Hospital as president and CEO in June 2003. He is responsible for leading the largest not-for-profit community hospital in Middle Tennessee with 683 licensed beds and nearly 2,000 associates. Prior to joining Baptist Hospital and Saint Thomas Health, Sherry worked at the Greenville University Hospital System, a 1,100 bed multi-hospital system, in Greenville, S.C.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Gannon University in Erie, PA, and his master's degree in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C. He is a diplomat of the American College of Health Care Executives and a participant in Ascension Health's Leadership Formation for Healthcare Ministry, a two-year program focusing on ministry within a healthcare setting. Sherry is active in the Nashville community and serves on several corporate boards. Sherry and his wife, Lori, have three children and live in Franklin, Tenn.

Gordon B. Ferguson, FACHE
President and Chief Executive Officer
Middle Tennessee Medical Center
Gordon B. Ferguson has served as president and chief executive officer since 2006. Ferguson has more than 20 years of healthcare experience. He began his career as director of planning at Baptist Medical Center Princeton in Birmingham, Ala. In 1998, Ferguson joined MTMC as senior vice president of support services and subsequently served as senior vice president of operations. In 2004, he was named chief operating officer. He has overseen the construction of a $26 million outpatient service facility, facilitated the establishment of joint ventures and completed a master facility plan as part of the hospital's overall strategic plan. Currently, he oversees a $267 million project for MTMC's replacement facility.

Ferguson received a bachelor's degree in business administration with honors from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned a master's degree in hospital and health administration from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. In 2007, Ferguson became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 30,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. Ferguson serves on the board of directors for United Way of Rutherford County; he serves on the Business Education Partnership board of directors and is a member of noon Rotary in Murfreesboro. He and his wife, Cindy, live in Murfreesboro with their two sons, Robbie and Andy.