ROCKLEDGE, FL - J. Stuart Mitchell III, FACHE, is the Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Health First, an integrated healthcare system in Melbourne, Florida with nearly 7,000 employees. In this role, Mitchell is responsible for the operations of the Hospital Division, which includes the system's Tertiary Hospital Division (Holmes Regional Medical Center), as well as the Community Hospitals Division (Cape Canaveral Hospital, Palm Bay Hospital, and Viera Hospital). He will also direct the operations of the Level II Trauma Center, Quality & Outcomes, Nursing, Plant Operations, Environmental, Supply Chain, and Safety & Security. As Health First's EVP, COO, Mitchell will also oversee Hospital-Based Physicians, and the operations of Health First Joint Ventures.

Mitchell has 35 years of experience in the healthcare field. Most recently, he served as the Managing Director for Regional Facilities for INTEGRIS Health based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. INTEGRIS Health is the largest state-owned healthcare corporation in Oklahoma, with 9,000 employees, 15 hospitals, rehabilitation centers, physician clinics, mental health facilities, a heart hospital, cancer institute, home health agencies, with an annual net revenue in excess of $1.5 billion. At INTEGRIS, Mitchell was responsible for the direction and coordination of all operational functions for eight regional facilities as well as the home health agency, outpatient clinics, and physician offices.

He previously served as Vice President and Memphis Metropolitan Market Leader for Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation, and as Hospital CEO/Administrator for Baptist Memorial Hospital, both located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Stuart holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He also earned an MBA in Business Administration from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. He achieved his Advanced Leadership in Healthcare from the University of Michigan Business School.