Valley View gets new CEO

Special to the River Cities Business Journal

FORT MOHAVE - The chief operating officer of Phoenix Baptist Hospital will be the new chief executive officer of Valley View Medical Center in Fort Mohave and Colorado River Medical Center in Needles. Jim Matney will assume his new duties on or before Nov. 1.

Matney has more than 15 years of healthcare management experience. He has served as Phoenix Baptist's interim CEO on several occasions while COO. Before moving to Arizona in 2004 Matney was Vice President for Twin County Regional Healthcare, Inc. in Galax, Virginia. He earned a masters degree in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.S. degree in business administration from Berea College in Kentucky.

Valley View is the newest hospital serving the Tri-State area, including Bullhead City and Laughlin, Nev. It marks its first anniversary this fall. Colorado River is one of the areas's most established hospitals, opening as a municipal hospital in 1952 and with roots as a railroad medical clinic dating back almost 110 years. Both are operated by LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (LPNT), and are located just 12 miles from each other.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Jim Matney's caliber,” said Michael Wiechart, president of LifePoint's National Division. “He not only has the expertise needed to run two nearby hospitals but he is familiar with the desert Southwest in general and both Arizona and the Colorado River communities in particular.”

“My wife Jill and our three children have already visited the area several times,” Matney said. “We look forward to serving Valley View, Colorado River and our new communities.”

Matney succeeds Ruth McDaniel, RN, who has been interim CEO for Valley View and Colorado River since late February.