Parkridge Health System CEO and president Darrell Moore will retire in December, after a 40-year-health care career, the hospital announced Tuesday.
Moore has spent the last 10 years of his career in Chattanooga heading the hospital system, which is owned by Nashville-based HCA (previously Hospital Corporation of America).
In the last decade, Parkridge has expanded to five facilities, including the 275-bed main hospital on McCallie Avenue, Parkridge East hospital in East Ridge, Parkridge West hospital in Jasper, and the Parkridge Valley Adult and Senior Campus and the Parkridge Valley Child and Adolescent Campus behavioral health facilities.
"I'm grateful that I am able to retire after a rewarding career committed to providing the best patient care through a compassionate, professional and friendly environment," Moore said in a statement. "I couldn't have asked for a more challenging and rewarding position for the last 10 years of my career."
Moore oversaw $62 million in major expansion projects at Parkridge, including the first phase of the health care system's Master Facility Plan, a new laboratory, additions to the operating rooms, and a post-anesthesia care unit.
Before moving to Chattanooga in 2006 to become Parkridge's CEO, Moore served as CEO of several HCA hospitals in the Kansas City area, including Research Medical Center, Baptist Medical Center, Trinity Lutheran Hospital, and Centerpoint Medical Center (formerly Independence Regional Medical Center).
A successor for Moore has not been named. Hospital officials said a nationwide search is underway to find a replacement.
With Moore's retirement, all three of Chattanooga's largest hospitals will have relatively new CEOs. Larry Schumacher started work as CEO at CHI Memorial in January and Erlanger's Kevin Spiegel, who took over in April 2013, is now the dean of local hospital execs.
"I've had the privilege of getting to know Darrell since I came to Chattanooga and have found him to be a leader in improving the health of this community we live in and love," Schumacher said. "I know our physicians and associates join me in wishing him the best in his retirement."
Besides his work at Parkridge, Moore has also been active with several community organizations, including the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, and the University of Tennessee at Chat- tanooga.
Moore said he and his wife plan to remain in the Chattanooga area.
Contact staff writer Steve Johnson at 423-757-6673, sjohnson@timesfree press.com, on Twitter @stevejohnsonTFP, and on Facebook, www.facebook. com/noogahealth.