Mr. Hinkle serves as the executive finance leader for Deaconess Illinois, an affiliate of Evansville, Ind.-based Deaconess Health System, overseeing four hospitals across Southern Illinois and ensuring financial stewardship supports access to high-quality care in the rural communities the region serves. He facilitates monthly financial performance reviews, monitors operational and financial key performance indicators, tracks payer denial and underpayment trends, and partners with operational and service-line leaders to set performance targets that balance labor utilization, growth and sustainability. He also serves as a primary liaison to regulators, auditors, financial institutions, vendors and strategic partners, and provides financial and strategic analysis for new service lines, capital investments and potential acquisitions. Mr. Hinkle designed and implemented a systemwide tool for identifying, tracking and reporting key financial initiatives across the enterprise. Since he joined Deaconess Illinois in 2025, the hospitals have seen a more than 33% increase in volumes and a 900-plus basis-point year-over-year improvement in operating margin. During this time, Deaconess Illinois Medical Center was designated a primary stroke center, installed a first-in-the-nation 3T MRI and solidified new partnerships with local universities. Mr. Hinkle previously served as regional director of finance operations at Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola Medicine and finance manager at Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health, and he sits on the advisory board of the Kiwanis Club of Marion.
