NATCHEZ — Five candidates will be interviewed soon to fill a vacant position on the Natchez Regional Medical Center board of trustees.

The Adams County Board of Supervisors nominated Lee Martin, Gwen Ball, John Holyoak, Bill Furlow and Tommy Smith for interviews.

The open position was left vacant when the Rev. Chip Davis moved out of town.

Existing board members include, Chairman Dan Bland, Bill Ernst, Renza Grennell, Bernie Pyron, Dr. Jennifer Russ and the Rev. LeRoy White.

While the vacant term will expire in mid-February, hospital administrators and supervisors are taking the appointment seriously and looking for someone who will continue serving on the board.

“The board members play a very intimate role in (improving the hospital) and in helping to move the hospital forward,” Natchez Regional Vice President of Medical Affairs Dr. Ken Stubbs.

“I’d like to see someone who’s committed to devoting the time and effort to doing the job well.”

Supervisors said there are specific qualities they look for when interviewing potential board of trustee members.

“I look for certain qualities in terms of health care background and knowledge, and also in terms of policy making skills,” Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennell said.

“One of my biggest concerns is that (the trustee) be someone who will have a sincere concern about the future of the hospital. I’ve always been a big supporter of the hospital, and I want to see it continue to survive here in our community.”

Apart from caring about the success of the hospital, Stubbs said he thought supervisors should be looking for qualities that could help the hospital continue it’s newly found fiscal stability.

“Someone who is committed to understanding the workings of the hospital, and who will learn about the hospital’s role in the community (is a good candidate).

“A lot of the business people don’t have knowledge of how a hospital works, but they have business sense,” Stubbs said.

While some candidates might not have a background in the hospital business, Stubbs said the initiative to attend classes acquainting them with how a hospital works is a key to success.

“They will learn about hospital business, but to do that properly they have to be willing to spend some time reading and researching about the hospital business,” Stubbs said.

The qualities Supervisor Mike Lazarus said he looks for in hospital board members are not far from Stubbs’ prediction.

“I’d like to see somebody with a little business sense,” Lazarus said. “Medical experience is a plus, but not a necessity, but I’d like to see somebody who is open minded, and who can contribute fresh new ideas.”

According to Supervisor S.E. “Spanky” Felter, some of the most important qualities mix morality with business.

“Honesty, integrity and experience with a hospital are important,” Felter said.

However, sometimes the qualities that mean the most to supervisors are the most simple.

“We try to get people who use basic common sense,” Supervisor Thomas “Boo” Campbell said.

“Sometimes (supervisors) have people in mind but when we interview them, sometimes you find out they don’t have what it takes to make the board more effective.”