West Georgia Health

After a seven-year absence, former West Georgia Health Vice President Charis Acree returned on Dec. 1, 2003 as Senior Vice President of Operations. In her first 17 years with West Georgia Health, Ms. Acree initially served as an assistant administrator, then as the vice president for clinical services. During her tenure, she was responsible for developing Florence Hand Home, West Georgia Hospice and Hospice LaGrange from concept to reality.

Her current areas of responsibility include the laboratory, admissions, neurodiagnostics, pharmacy, pulmonary, volunteer/community services, health information management, coding, and rehabilitation services.

Email: acreec@wghealth.org

As Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Ms. Burton oversees nursing issues throughout the Health System, as well as operational responsibility for the following clinical nursing areas at West Georgia Medical Center: medical/surgical, operating room and post-anesthesia recovery, critical care, maternal-infant services, pediatrics, orthopedics, infection control, emergency services, and patient education.

Ms. Burton earned her Associate of Arts degree from Oxford College at Emory University and her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory. Upon graduation, Ms. Burton began working as a staff nurse at what is now West Georgia Health System. After working in various medical/surgical areas and serving as a nurse manager for 12 years, she was promoted to Director of Nursing in 1987. In 2002, she was named a vice president and the chief nursing officer.

Ms. Burton is a charter member of the LaGrange College Nursing Honor Society and a member of Emory’s Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society, the Georgia Organization of Nurse Executives and the Georgia Hospital Association. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in nursing systems and administration. She was recently named to the LaGrange College Wall of Outstanding Alumni.

Email: burtond@wghealth.org

Born and raised in LaGrange Ms. Fritchley became a member of the WGHS executive team in 1999, serving as Vice President of Senior Services. Her areas of responsibility include Florence Hand Home, Twin Fountains Home, Hospice LaGrange, West Georgia Home Care, Vernon Woods Retirement Community and Corporate Risk Management.

Ms. Fritchley earned dual Master's degrees in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration from Georgia State University in 1999. She received a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1997. Ms. Fritchley is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executive and a certified Healthcare Risk Management Professional.

In 2007, Ms. Fritchley was named one of Georgia Trend magazines Top 40 Under 40 business leaders in Georgia.  She is also a member of Leadership Georgia.

She and husband Andy live in LaGrange with their three children; Aaron, Nathan and Tatum.

Email: fritchl@wghealth.org

Paul Perrotti joined the West Georgia Health executive team in March 2004 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. A certified public accountant, Perrotti has 10 years experience in public accounting. He has worked for a large, regional not-for-profit hospital and later served as chief financial officer of Charter Behavioral Health Systems in Atlanta. Through a series of transactions and promotions, he was elevated to the position of a regional financial director and, ultimately to a corporate-level role for a national health care services provider based in Pennsylvania. He came to West Georgia Health after serving as director of finance and Six Sigma master black belt for a multinational corporation in Greenwich, Connecticut.

His areas of responsibility include patient accounts, information services, materials management, and all areas of finance/treasury.

Perrotti received a bachelor’s degree from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. and an executive degree in management from Emory University, Goizueta Business School. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Chapter HFMA.

Email: perrottip@wghealth.org

Tripp Penn serves as Vice President of Support Services at West Georgia Health. His area of responsibilities include the West Georgia Health Foundation; Dialysis; Occupational Medicine; Facilities, which includes Engineering, Grounds/Security and Environment of Care; Environmental Services; Laundry and Volunteer/Community Services.

Tripp joined West Georgia Health in 2003. He previously served as Director of the West Georgia Health Foundation, the charitable organization that exists to support the vision of West Georgia Health.  He established the newly created foundation in 2005. Under his leadership, in 2008, the foundation was successful in raising more than $5 million during the campaign for WGH’s new emergency department.

He earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics and a Master of Education degree from the University of Georgia.  He obtained a Master of Business administration from LaGrange College. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

He is a member of the LaGrange Rotary Club, is active on the church council at LaGrange First United Methodist Church, is a member of the Leadership Council for LaGrange College and served on board for Leadership Georgia.

He and wife Megan live in LaGrange with their three children; Riley, Hannah and Miller.

Email: pennt@wghealth.org