CMH Foundation announces board transitions

Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation announces changes to its board of directors. Three new board members were added in 2021 and 2022, including James Ashworth, Trina Banner and Gary Fulbright.

 Banner replaces Brad Johnson, former vice president for institutional advancement at Southwest Baptist University, who resigned from the CMH Foundation board in summer 2022. Johnson became president of the College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, and moved out of the service area.

Banner and her husband, Dwain, own and operate Creator Designs and Creator Delights in Bolivar. They have been business owners for more than 30 years. Banner attended Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar and has served as a board member of the Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce and Alpha House. She also volunteers for multiple community organizations. Banner was appointed to the CMH Foundation board in November 2022. 

 Ashworth has been the chief executive officer/general manager of Southwest Electric Cooperative, with headquarters in Bolivar, since 2008. He has worked for Southwest for 33 years since graduating from Missouri State University in Springfield with a degree in agriculture education. He has served on numerous committees and boards within the Bolivar area. He was appointed to the CMH Foundation board in June 2021.

Fulbright is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University with a degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant. He worked for Citizens Memorial Hospital and the CMH Foundation for more than four decades, serving his last two years as chief executive officer/executive director from January 2020-December 2021. He also served as controller and chief financial officer at CMH. Fulbright was appointed to the CMH Foundation board in February 2022.

“James, Trina and Gary are outstanding business leaders, each with unique perspectives and areas of expertise,” said Michael Calhoun, CEO/executive director of CMH and CMH Foundation. Their experience, combined with the other board members’ experiences, is vital to the growth of CMH Foundation and its future growth.”

Other CMH Foundation board members are Janieca Hancock, president; John Kallenbach, vice president; Donald J. Babb; William S. Donnell, M.D.; D. Micheale Meents, M.D.; and Michael Calhoun, ex-officio member.

The CMH Foundation was established in 1986 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) entity to assist the hospital in expanding community health services. The Foundation operates retail pharmacies in Bolivar and Urbana, seven long-term and residential care facilities, home care services and a senior health center.

A nine-member board governs the Foundation. One member is affiliated with the hospital board of directors to provide coordination and transparency between the activities of the two boards, and eight are independent board members.