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After a nationwide search, Atrium Health has announced that effective May 1, Brian Freeman, MHA, FACHE, will assume the role of SVP, President West Area.

The announcement was made in memo to Atrium staff by Chris S. Bowe, FACHE, president, Greater Charlotte Market, Atrium Health.

“In this role, Brian will be responsible for the oversight of the West Area and lead the development and day-to-day operations of key facilities, including Atrium Health Cleveland, Atrium Health Kings Mountain and Atrium Health Lincoln. Brian will also forecast and implement area-focused business plans in support of overall Atrium Health enterprise-wide strategies and priorities,” Bowe wrote. “He will coordinate and collaborate with leadership, market management teams, community and the medical staff to continuously improve patient care, customer service, financial performance and operational excellence.”

Freeman has more than 25 years of leadership experience at Atrium Health Stanly, where he began his career in imaging in 1994 before progressing to facility executive in 2017.

Under his leadership, he helped develop the Rural Strategy, planting the seeds for future rural physician training programs and collaborated with Pfieffer University to connect the PA program with Atrium Health rural clinical settings.

He has a bachelor’s degree in radiology technology from Queens University and a Master of Healthcare Administration from Pfeiffer University. He serves as board chair of GHA Autism Supports and as a board member of United Way of Stanly County and Stanly County Family YMCA.

He and his wife Stephanie have a daughter, Jenna, who will graduate from UNC Chapel Hill this year. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with Stephanie and Jenna, exercise, outdoor activities like leisure biking and shooting sporting clays, as well as projects around the house.

“To sustain leadership support for our Stanly teammates, Marietta Abernathy, chief nursing officer at Stanly, will step in as interim facility executive at Stanly, effective May 1. A search will be conducted to fill this position on a permanent basis,” Bowe wrote.