HomeTown Health Announces 2026 Rural Healthcare Award Winners & Executive Leadership Graduates

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga., Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeTown Health, LLC held its 27th Annual Fall Conference at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, October 21-23, 2026. The annual event includes breakout sessions and presentations from industry experts, state agency representatives and healthcare leaders to over 200 attendees. Additionally, it is a time where HomeTown Health recognizes rural hospital employees for their success at their facility during the previous year.

HomeTown Health is a network of rural healthcare organizations throughout the southeast as well as business partner organizations with rural healthcare solutions. Annual awardees are selected from nominations secured throughout the network and then announced at the annual fall conference event.

"The impacts of rural hospitals are highly influenced by the quality, commitment, dedication and excellence of the staff that comprise their organization. Each year, rural hospital staff face innumerable challenges and continue to push themselves and their organizations towards the highest standards of quality care and organizational excellence – we can only recognize a few, but we are so proud to know many." says Kristy Thomson, COO of HomeTown Health.

Jack Henry, MHA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Evans Memorial Hospital was recognized as the 2026 Nurse Executive of the Year, for his commitment for excellence in patient-centered care, approachable leadership and commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, staff engagement and strengthened nursing practice for himself and his team.

The 2026 Business Office Leader of the Year award was presented to Joy White, Revenue Cycle Manager at Wills Memorial Hospital for her commitment to learning and professional development, contributions to strengthening hospital operations and financial stability, attention to detail and dedication to excellence.

Will Bennett, CPA, CFO at Candler County Hospital, was presented as the 2026 CFO of the Year in recognition of his steadiness, responsiveness and engagement with the balance of fiscal responsibilities and operational realities, as well as his  commitment to engaging various hospital leaders in collaboration towards operational success.

The 2026 Hospital Leader of the Year was presented to Derek Rozier, CEO at Liberty Regional Medical Center for his commitment to meaningful growth and advancement, contributions to improvements, collaboration and healthcare delivery in his community.

The 2026 Business Partner of the Year was awarded to Avilys™, a Sleep Disorder Company that specializes in creating and managing sleep disorder centers. In addition to sleep testing Avilys™ provides information management and data transfer services helping organizations have access to physicians and scoring technicians outside their normal service. Avilys™ was chosen because of their long-standing commitment to the HomeTown network, having been a partner since the beginning of the Business Partner Program. Throughout the years, they have remained committed to helping rural hospitals expand access to essential healthcare services while strengthening their operations and financial sustainability. Through their expertise, innovative solutions, and ongoing support, they help rural hospitals offer services that might otherwise be unavailable locally.

The 2026 Hospital of the Year was presented to Appling Healthcare in Baxley, Georgia for the positive impact it has demonstrated through safety and quality improvement improvements, commitment to financial recovery and sustainability and operational excellence through their entire health organization while prioritizing patient experience and community involvement.

In addition to the awards ceremony, HomeTown Health recognized the graduates of its 2026 HomeTown Health Executive Leadership Development Program.

• April Worth, MBA | Appling Healthcare
• Brittany Brown, RN | Bleckley Memorial Hospital
• Jack Henry, MHA, BSN, RN | Evans Memorial Hospital
• Esmeralda Torres | Jeff Davis Hospital
• Betty Carey | Jeff Davis Hospital
• Andrew Gomez, CPA | Union General Hospital
• Wayne Barth, PT | Union General Health System
• Chelsea Petterson, BSN, RN | Upson Regional Medical Center
• Kathy Waddell | Washington County Regional Medical Center
• Erison Evans, MHA | Aletheia Health Partners

The Executive Leadership Development Program counts more than 200 alumni since its inception and is designed to engage and empower current rural healthcare leaders to continue in healthcare leadership in rural healthcare facilities throughout Georgia.

HomeTown Health, LLC, has dedicated over 25 years serving rural hospitals through its membership network in the southeast US, with a homebase in Georgia. HomeTown Health, LLC offers advocacy, education, business partner service indexing, industry conferences, and strategic support to its member hospitals as well as expansive grant-based resources through key partnerships with the Department of Public Health and Department of Community Health in multiple states. Learn more at http://www.hometownhealthonline.com and more about its online education at http://www.hthu.net. For more information, contact [email protected]. 

SOURCE HomeTown Health, LLC