Baptist Health Care’s Remarkable Leaders –
A History of Four CEOs


Baptist Health Care’s Chief Executive Officers

  • Pat Groner
    Pat Groner
    1951 – 1983
  • James Vickery
    James Vickery
    1983 – 1999
  • Al Stubblefield
    Al Stubblefield
    1999 – 2012
  • Mark Faulkner
    Mark Faulkner
    2012 –

 

Baptist Health Care is a community based organization. Our roots run deep dating back 60 years ago when community leaders were determined to build a modern hospital for the residents of Pensacola. Since then, the organization has been led by some remarkable health care leaders.

Pat Neff Groner
An excited community welcomed the construction of Baptist Hospital in 1949. Shortly thereafter, the board of directors of the Pensacola Baptist Hospital Corporation hired 29-year-old, former Marine pilot, Pat Neff Groner as the first leader. Mr. Groner served as CEO for the new health care system for more than 30 years and proved to be a canny, forward-thinking chief executive who led the state, and in some cases the nation, in health care innovation.

Jim Vickery
With the retirement of Mr. Groner in 1983, Jim Vickery was named president of the organization. A savvy, no nonsense CEO, Mr. Vickery spent most of his career at Baptist meeting the challenges of higher costs, decreasing reimbursements and escalated competition in the health care market.

Al Stubblefield
In 1995, Baptist Health Care set out to create a corporate culture that nurtured employee and patient satisfaction. Al Stubblefield led the initiative during his tenure as CEO. By making service excellence and top quality priorities, employees found greater satisfaction and meaning in providing high-quality care for the community and gained the interest of health care systems around the nation.

Mark Faulkner
Baptist Health Care welcomed a chief executive officer, Mark Faulkner in June 2012. The 19-year Baptist Health Care veteran also is a respected community leader. Mr. Faulkner is inspired by past leaders and plans to lead by working closely with its incredible team members to provide the best in innovative care along the Gulf Coast. He takes the helm during dramatically changing times in the industry, and will sustain Baptist Health Care’s reputation as a trusted and respected provider for years to come.