Charles Stark, FACHE

My friends and colleagues call me Chuck. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, the product of a public-school education before heading off to Duke University.

While I studied biochemistry and psychology, thinking I would go to Medical School, I had a chance encounter with Lucy and Liz one day who shared insights into a career in healthcare administration, and more directly about Duke’s MHA program.

Image of Charles Stark with glasses, wearing a blue plaid suit, light-colored dress shirt, and a vibrant paisley tie, smiling at the camera against a plain dark gray background.

ABOUT

The story and experiences of

STARK Advisory and Solutions logo with stylized geometric design between the words

So, on a whim some might say, I applied to the MHA program at Duke. After graduating with my BS and MHA degrees from Duke University my career and life have been enhanced by the friends I made and the lives I touched (and more importantly I’d say, the lives that touched me).

Over a 39-year career I have had the joy of working at both the individual and multi-facility level, as well as having worked in the proprietary and not-for-profit healthcare sectors. Prior to my retirement in May 2024, I served as the Regional Vice President of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) Texas and Oklahoma Acute Care Division.

And before joining UHS, I had served as Chief Executive Officer of Tenet’s Brookwood Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama; President and CEO of Columbus Regional Health (now Piedmont Columbus Regional) in Columbus, Georgia; President and CEO of Firelands Regional Health System in Sandusky, Ohio; worked 13 years with HealthSouth Corporation (now Encompass Health) of which the final years I served as the Senior Vice President for Acute Care Operations; and worked 6 years with Humana, Inc. where I started my career in healthcare leadership.

Medical professionals in white and blue scrubs and suits attending a conference or seminar, wearing face masks, clapping and listening to a speaker.

MY EDUCATION

In addition to my formal education

I also participated in, and graduated from, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Partnership program (Class of 2020) as well as the Leadership Columbus (GA) and Leadership Metro Richmond (VA) programs. I served my profession as well as the communities in which I lived by volunteering my time on various boards including with the Texas Hospital Association, Canton Village HOA, Richmond (VA) Ballet, American Cancer Society (Richmond, VA and Sandusky, OH), Stein Hospice (Sandusky, OH), Ohio Hospital Association, Ohio Health Information Partnership, United Way of Chattahoochee Valley, and the Greater Columbus (GA) Chamber of Commerce.

Three doctors in white coats discussing in a modern hospital lobby with large windows and natural light.

THE PRESENT

Today, I continue my work in the healthcare field

I am honored to serve as a Board Advisor to two companies – PsychPlus and 360 Medical.

With these companies, and with future clients, my interests and expertise reside in business development, strategic planning and implementation, team building, cultural transformations, and EBITDA maximization.

The results are growth-focused, sustainable and impactful for both the companies I serve and the patients they serve directly and indirectly.