CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville board of trustees has named Andrew “Drew” Emery as the hospital’s new chief executive officer effective Jan. 23. Emery comes to the hospital from Woodland Heights Medical Center, a 149-bed hospital in Lufkin, Texas, where he has served as CEO since 2019.
He replaces Alex Villa, who had been Tennova Clarksville CEO since September 2016 and is moving to new roles in CHS-affiliated hospitals.
About Drew Emery
Successes during Emery’s tenure at Woodland Heights include growing inpatient admissions, reducing hospital acquired infections, establishing the only Level III NICU within 90 miles, and overseeing multiple expansion and construction projects. The hospital has earned an A Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for three consecutive years.
Emery previously served as CEO of a 208-bed hospital in Punta Gorda, Florida, where he expanded offerings for behavioral health patients, led implementation of a best practice orthopedic program, and led his hospital in sustaining operations through Hurricane Irma.
“Over his 12 years of executive leadership, he has demonstrated an ability to forge strong relationships with physicians and engage with employees, making Drew an excellent choice to lead our hospital,” said Dr. Alan Werner, chair of the Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville Board of Trustees. “We were impressed by his skills and passion for creating an environment that supports the caregiving team and leads to a great experience for patients.”
“I’m impressed by the dedication and commitment of the hospital’s physicians, employees and trustees and look forward to supporting their work,” said Emery. “This is a strong team with many opportunities and it is a privilege to join with them in advancing clinical care and services for the community.”
Emery holds both a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Health Administration from the University of Florida, receiving the Faculty Award for Excellence from the University of Florida MHA Program. He has been involved in his community through board appointments on the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, YMCA, and many other organizations and serves as a youth soccer coach.
About Alex Villa
Villa has departed the hospital to pursue new professional challenges with a broader scope of responsibility. Villa will be assigned CEO project work at different CHS-affiliated hospitals while he focuses on advancing his healthcare leadership journey. He and his family plan to remain in Clarksville and remain actively engaged in the community.
Since Villa joined in 2016, the hospital has grown regional sites of care including the Sango freestanding emergency department, increased local access to services and established a joint venture relationship with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). A certificate of need has been secured to build a satellite hospital in the near future. Strong collaboration with the medical staff and effective physician recruitment have allowed enhancement of surgical services with robotics and expanded the breadth of orthopedics and urology, strengthened delivery of ICU care and established onsite OBGYN care with VUMC.
“It has been my privilege to serve as CEO of Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville. These six years have been tremendously rewarding, and I am blessed to have worked alongside these skilled physicians and employees,” said Villa. “We’ve come together as a team and are stronger and better equipped today to meet the needs of our community.”
Clarksville Now contributed to this report