For more than fifteen years Chip Peal, CEO of Frankfort Regional Medical Center, Frankfort, Ky., has been making his way to the top of healthcare services to his current position with HCA.
More recently this 47 year old's push to be the best extended thousands of miles beyond the HCA borders, on his climb to the top of Mount Rainier, the second most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney being the first) and one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.
After seven long months of rigorous training, it took Chip nearly four days to reach the summit. At one point he almost gave in to severe exhaustion and turned back, but his determination pushed him forward to achieve his goal.
For the most part his career in healthcare parallels his journey up Mount Rainier. He began as an exercise physiologist at Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia. From 1994-1998 he was Rehab Services Team Leader and Director of Physician & Network Operations at Putnam General Hospital. He was Senior Director of Practice Management at Logan General Hospital in Logan, West Virginia before becoming Associate Administrator and Chief Operating Officer of Allegheny Regional in Low Moor, Virginia from 2002 until 2006.
Peal went back to Putnam General for a brief time as Chief Executive Officer before arriving at Frankfort Regional in 2006 with his wife and two children.
He's served in the Marine Corps, earned his bachelor's degree from West Virginia University, his master's from West Virginia Graduate College and he's a Diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Chip also serves on the Board of Directors for the Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA and is a member of the Frankfort Rotary Club.
Click here to read his incredible story on preparing for the climb to the top of the 14,000 ft. summit of Mount Rainier.