Grace replacing Kennedy at Baptist Booneville

Baptist Memorial Health Care announced that Walter J. Grace, an assistant administrator at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto since 2003, has been promoted to CEO and administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville.

Before becoming an assistant administrator, Grace was the controller for Baptist DeSoto. Before going to Baptist DeSoto, he served as chief financial officer for Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women.

Grace joined Baptist Memorial Health Care in 1997 as manager of capital planning. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi and is an ordained deacon at First Baptist Church in New Albany.

Larkin Kennedy, the former CEO and administrator at Baptist Booneville, is joining Rush Health System in Meridian as director of critical access hospitals.

These leadership transitions will officially take place Oct. 22.