New Chief Executive Officer Named for Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children

New position includes oversight of Nemours Delaware Valley patient operations

WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kevin B. Churchwell, MD, has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. In this new executive leadership position, Dr. Churchwell will serve as a Nemours Senior Vice President. He will join the organization on December 1, 2010 and will have overall responsibility for Delaware Valley patient operations.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100921/DC68197)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100921/DC68197)

Dr. Churchwell brings to Nemours a diverse clinical and leadership background, backed by an impressive list of accomplishments. Prior to joining Nemours, he was CEO and Executive Director for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt was recently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the 25 best children's hospitals in the country and ranked 15th by Parents magazine for children's hospitals for 2008 and 2009. Previously, Dr. Churchwell served in several other capacities at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, including Chief-of-Staff, Medical Director for the Children's Health and Injury Prevention Program, Medical Director for the Pediatric Critical Care Services, and Transport Director.

"Kevin has experience and proven success as a children's hospital leader," says Roy Proujansky, MD, Executive Vice President, Health Operations, and COO for Nemours. "As both a physician and hospital CEO he has made family-centered care paramount. Kevin embodies the leadership skills that will be of greatest importance to our staff as well as our patients and families. He is an excellent choice to succeed Tom Ferry's 31 years of extraordinary leadership and accomplishments in this role."

"Nemours has made an excellent decision. I am confident that Kevin will lead the hospital to continued success and achievement in its mission to provide the best possible care for the children and families that we serve," says Tom Ferry, Senior Vice President, Hospital Operations for Nemours.

A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Vanderbilt Medical School in Nashville, Dr. Churchwell completed his pediatric residency and a clinical fellowship in Anesthesia and Pediatric Critical Care at Children's Hospital Boston. Since 1993, Dr. Churchwell has been a clinician and faculty member at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is a diplomat for the National Board of Medical Examiners and is board certified with the American Board of Pediatrics.

During his tenure at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, Dr. Churchwell drove efforts to achieve Leapfrog designation, developed and recruited for the hospital board, led fundraising for a capital campaign to support hospital expansion, and promoted stronger collaboration between administration, clinicians, researchers, and educators. Joining Nemours from an institution that practices family-centered care, Dr. Churchwell understands the need to stay connected with the families.

As an extension of his dedication to pediatric health care, Dr. Churchwell is active in the greater community. While in Nashville, he developed a public high school outreach program, helped build a safe playground, and was inducted into the Nashville Public Schools Hall of Fame by the Nashville Alliance for Public Education in 2009. He was named one of the top 25 minority health care executives by Modern Healthcare magazine and recognized as one of Nashville Business Journal's 2008 Health Care Heroes.

"My family and I are incredibly enthusiastic to be joining the Nemours family. The Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children has a rich history and is well known across the nation for its dedication to the advancement of child health care. For me, to be part of such a dedicated, inspiring hospital and organization is very exciting. I look forward to meeting and working with everyone as we continue to build on the great work that goes on everyday at duPont Hospital for Children," says Dr. Churchwell.

The CEO selection process involved a national search and several months of interviews. An advisory committee comprised of Nemours senior leaders, board members, the Family Advisory Council, and Nemours associates participated in this thorough process.

The Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children

The Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is a division of Nemours, which operates one of the nation's largest health systems devoted to pediatric patient care, teaching and research.  Set on a beautiful 300-acre campus near Wilmington, Delaware, the 200-bed duPont Hospital for Children offers all the specialties of pediatric medicine, surgery and dentistry.

Nemours is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children's health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont's bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.  For more information, please visit Nemours.org.

SOURCE Nemours