J. Larry Shackelford plans to retire as president and CEO of Fayetteville, Ark.-based Washington Regional Medical System on May 31.
He will continue serving as a governmental affairs advisor for the system, according to an April 2 Washington Regional news release.
Mr. Shackelford joined Washington Regional in 2010 as senior vice president of strategy and outreach services and was named president and CEO in 2017. He has worked in healthcare in Northwest Arkansas for more than 35 years.
The system’s board named Lucas Campbell, MD, as incoming president and CEO. Dr. Campbell joined Washington Regional in 2023 as vice president and chief transformation officer. He currently serves as senior vice president of clinical enterprise and strategy.
Dr. Campbell has more than 17 years of healthcare experience in Northwest Arkansas, including serving as president and CEO of Northwest Arkansas Pathology Associates. He has led systemwide initiatives at Washington Regional, including its 2025 transition to Epic.
Under Mr. Shackelford’s leadership, Washington Regional partnered with the Little Rock-based University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to create the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program, which started with internal medicine and has expanded into specialty and non-primary care residencies.
Washington Regional operates a 425-bed medical center, two multi-specialty surgical centers, five Centers of Excellence and 40 clinic locations.
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