Paul J. Pernice named VP of Finance and CFO of Beebe Medical Center

Beebe Medical Center announces that Paul J. Pernice, CPA, has been named vice president of Finance and chief financial officer. Pernice is taking over responsibilities from James W. Bartle, who has served in the same capacity for Beebe Medical Center since October 1988.

Bartle last year announced his plans to retire. To allow for a smooth transition, Bartle will officially retire this summer and is expected to stay on for a period of time as a senior adviser to the management team and to the board.

Pernice brings more than 25 years' experience in nonprofit and for-profit healthcare organizations. He is a certified public accountant and a Six Sigma Black Belt, which signifies his experience in leading efforts to find quality and cost-effective solutions to business issues. He joined Beebe Medical Center from the Center for Family Guidance Health Systems, where he served as chief financial officer. Previously, he served as senior vice president of Finance and CFO/executive director of Finance at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, and as director of Finance at Virtua Health Voorhees Hospital in Voorhees, N.J.

Pernice has a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., and a master’s degree in business administration from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa.

“He will be a tremendous asset to our organization with his understanding of financial and hospital operations, as well as with his experience with Lean performance improvement principles,” said Jeffrey M. Fried, FACHE, president and CEO of Beebe Medical Center. “We look forward to him becoming part of our leadership team.”

Beebe Medical Center began a national search last summer to find a successor for Bartle following his announcement that he would retire. During his tenure, Beebe Medical Center experienced tremendous growth and success. Revenues grew from $20.8 million to $254 million. Beebe Medical Center assets increased from $30.6 million to $285 million.

Most notably, Bartle was responsible for managing several bond issues that helped finance the Clinical Building on Savannah Road in 1995 that supported the development of the Beebe Health Campus in 2003, and the opening of the Hudson Wing on Savannah Road in 2008.

“Jim not only brought a vision for how to help the hospital grow, expand and better serve the community, but also a fiscal discipline that has left Beebe much stronger financially than when he arrived,” Fried said.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people residing, working or visiting in the communities it serves. For more information, go to www.beebemed.org.