A reception to honor Baptist Health Paducah president and CEO Larry Barton on his retirement will be 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, in the Heart Center auditorium.

Barton, who will retire Oct. 4, has served 21 years, longer than any of his five predecessors. “Without question, my 21 years at Baptist Health Paducah have been the most rewarding of my career,” Barton said. “We have always focused on the needs of our patients,” Barton said, “and I think that’s why we continue to be the hospital our region prefers 2 to 1.”

During his tenure, Baptist made great advancements:

• From re-routing a street for a new atrium and expansion in 1997 to the 2012 surgical expansion featuring hybrid and robotics technology, he drove more than $118 million in physical improvements to assure the most modern healthcare available.
• He focused on quality patient care, as shown in the chest pain center accreditation, stroke center certification and NICU addition.
• He helped Baptist Health Foundation Paducah raise more than $7.5 million in eight years.
• While carrying out the hospital mission of enhancing health, he also instilled its Christian heritage by remembering to treat patients as members of the family.

“As the hospital prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, we owe much of our success to Larry, who led us through more than one-third of our history,” said Don Walker, board chair.

Bill Brown, Baptist Health’s new west regional executive for Paducah and Madisonville, will succeed Barton as the hospital’s seventh president.