Contact: Debra Thompson
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On January 1, 2008, RMH President James D. Krauss took the helm as chief executive officer of the hospital.

He succeeds former President and CEO T. Carter Melton Jr., who had served as RMH CEO for 30 years.

In November 2005, Melton announced he would retire in March 2008. The RMH Board of Directors named Krauss as Melton’s successor. As part of a planned leadership transition, Krauss assumed the role of president in September 2006. Melton continues as a special advisor at RMH until his retirement on March 31.

“We were very fortunate to have had Carter as the guiding light for healthcare and wellness in this community for 34 years,” said Board Chair Barbara Stoltzfus. “There are enormous challenges in healthcare going forward. Jim is an able and talented successor with considerable business acumen, leadership skills, and a passion for the delivery of quality healthcare services. He will lead our community hospital with strength and compassion.”

Krauss joined RMH in 2000 as senior vice president and chief operating officer. He has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in healthcare. Before joining RMH he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

He began his healthcare leadership career as assistant vice president and administrator of Baptist Outpatient Center, a subsidiary of Baptist Hospital of Miami , Fla. He then served as vice president of clinical and support services for Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Va. Next he served as vice president and chief operating officer of Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park, Fla. before going to Bayfront.

Krauss holds a master’s degree in health services administration from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. He served two years in Paraguay with the Peace Corps organizing and implementing developmental programs in public health.

He is a board member of the Harrisonburg Rotary Club and a past member of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Mary Baldwin College Healthcare Advisory Council. He also has served as a member of the Regent’s Advisory Council of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Virginia Area A.

As CEO, Krauss is accountable for implementing the decisions of the RMH Board of Directors. He oversees the hospital’s strategic planning, government relations and fundraising activities and delegates day-to-day operations, service line leadership, medical staff relations and financial operations to executives on his team. He also continues to provide leadership for new hospital planning and development.

“I am both honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead this organization as it prepares to provide a second century of service to the community,” Krauss said. “RMH is blessed with caring and dedicated employees, volunteers, physicians and board members, and a supportive community.”

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