Pennington named CEO of Medical West

Pennington has served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at Medical West since 2003.
Media contact: Haley Montgomery
Medical West Marketing Director
205-481-7272

Keith_PenningtonKeith Pennington has been named president and chief executive officer of Medical West, an affiliate of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Health System. He succeeds Tom McDougal, Jr. who announced his resignation on April 18, 2013.

Pennington, who served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at Medical West since 2003, has been instrumental in the progress of the hospital and assumes the CEO role with over 20 years of health care experience.

“Keith Pennington brings the experience and leadership skills that will take Medical West forward as a pillar of the Bessemer/West Jefferson County region and as an integral part of the UAB Health System,” said Will Ferniany, Ph.D., CEO of the UAB Health System. “We’re thrilled to have a man of his background in healthcare management assume this important role.”

“I look forward to continuing the positive momentum the hospital has gained over the past several years,” said Pennington.  “I am excited about the opportunity we have in this community and I am dedicated to seeing this organization reach its greatest potential.”

A native of Birmingham, Pennington earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and his Doctor of Pharmacy from Samford University. Prior to becoming the chief operating officer, he served as vice president and director of development and director of pharmacy. Pennington has also been very active in the community recently serving as chairman for the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce and currently serving as secretary for the Western Health Services Foundation and the Medical West Imaging Center. Pennington has been with Medical West since 1993.

Medical West is a 310 licensed bed community hospital conveniently located just off the I459 and I20/59 interchange in the city of Bessemer, Alabama in West Jefferson County. The hospital offers a full range of diagnostic, surgical, medical and emergency services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Medical West has been an affiliate of the UAB Health System since 2002.