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CMH CEO/Executive Director announces retirement

Gary Fulbright, CEO/Executive Director of Citizens Memorial Hospital and Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, has announced his retirement effective Dec. 31, 2021.

Fulbright’s career spans nearly four decades at CMH with the last year serving as CEO/executive director. With prior experiences as a certified public accountant and an internal auditor, Fulbright started working at CMH June 1, 1982, as its controller and was promoted to CFO in 2003. He succeeded Donald Babb as CMH’s leader in January 2020.

“I’ve greatly enjoyed my time at CMH,” says Fulbright. “It’s been amazing to see the progress that we’ve made and all the new services we’ve added over the years. CMH has a wonderful future ahead and I’m so grateful to have been a part of its growth.”

After retirement, Fulbright says he plans to spend more time with his family, playing golf and farming.

“We are grateful to Gary for his years of service to CMH and for helping to build its strong legacy of caring for our patients, residents and communities for nearly 40 years. His influence and important financial decisions helped the organization to grow quickly and to expand to include numerous hospital services, primary care and specialty clinics, long-term care communities, home care services and other programs,” said Patrick Douglas, Citizens Memorial Hospital board chairman.

“Gary was the third employee hired at CMH and has been an integral part of its growth over the years,” says Dave Strader, CMH Foundation board president. “CMH’s advancements and its long list of achievements are due in part to Gary’s financial talents enabling the organization to thrive even during periods of uncertainty like the recent COVID-19 pandemic.”

The CMH and CMH Foundation boards of directors are forming a search committee and will begin the process of finding Fulbright’s replacement. He will continue as CEO/Executive Director of CMH and CMH Foundation through the end of 2021.

During his time as CEO Fulbright broke ground on the 8,300-square-foot Willard Medical Center that will open November 2021, and added the CMH Urology Surgical Clinic.

About CMH

Located in Bolivar, Missouri, Citizens Memorial Hospital District and Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation operate as an integrated health care system with one CEO/Executive Director, two boards of directors and more than 2,100 employees. CMH serves a rural eight-county area in southwest Missouri and includes hospital and emergency services, 34 primary and specialty care clinics, seven long-term care communities, home care services, home medical equipment stores and a retail pharmacy. Citizens Memorial Hospital is designated as a Level III Trauma Center and Level II STEMI Center. Named one of the Top 10 Rural Hospitals in America, CMH is one of the 10 largest employers in southwest Missouri and is a three time Missouri Quality Award recipient (2010, 2014 and 2018).
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