After 34 years with Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center (JARMC), former President and CEO Mark D. McPhail is leaving.

�It has been a privilege to serve as president and CEO of Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center and after three decades of services, I remain committed to helping this institution remain a leader in the healthcare industry for years to come,� said McPhail, who was honored with a reception Wednesday by the hospitals board of directors.

�Last year I experienced a mild heart attack. Although my health is stable and much improved, I realized that I would like to spend more time with my family. While this decision was a difficult one to make, I am looking forward to this next phase in my life,” he said.

Board Chairman Dr. Joe Anderson expressed his appreciation for McPhail’s dedication to JARMC.

“Mark McPhail provided Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center with immeasurable leadership during his many years managing this hospital,” Anderson said.

“We accept his decision with deep sadness but with great appreciation of his 34 years of service and the invaluable leadership he has provided this organization,� he said.

�His desire to spend time with family and continue his church and community activities is understandable as he has given so much of his time to make Jeff Anderson what it is today. While we will miss his leadership and direction, we wish Mark and his family the very best.�

McPhail began his career at JARMC in 1974 as a business office manager and progressed through the organization � becoming CEO of the hospital in 1985 and ultimately president and CEO in 2002. He has worked side by side with the Anderson family and JARMC�s board of directors to achieve many of the hospital�s growth initiatives throughout his career, including:

� Creation of the cardiovascular surgery program

� Construction of Medical Towers I and Medical Towers II

� Construction of multi-level parking complex

� Establishing the Jeff Anderson Regional Cancer Center

� Construction of the All Patient Services Wing � ER, Same Day Surgery, Radiology, Admissions, ICU, CCU, CVR, Cardio-Pulmonary, Lab, Sleep Disorders Center

� Current construction of Medical Towers III .

McPhail and his wife, Wanda Blackwell McPhail, are the parents of three children and three grandchildren (with one more expected in 2009). They are members of Collinsville United Methodist Church, where McPhail is currently a trustee and has held numerous leadership positions.

McPhail serves on the board of directors of the Meridian Community College Foundation, Medical Support and Development Foundation Inc. and the East Mississippi Community College Foundation. He is a board member and past chairman of Volunteer Hospitals of America, and currently serves on the Finance Committee of the Mississippi Hospital Association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a board member and past president of the Regional Medical Support Center Inc.

McPhail has been actively involved in the business community, having served on the boards of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, Meridian Industrial Foundation and the Lauderdale Economic Development Authority.