King’s Daughters Medical Center Chief Executive Officer AlvinHoover told hospital managers Wednesday that it was only after atour of the hospital and meeting them that he decided he wouldwanted to lead the facility into the future.

Hoover said he was comfortable at Abbeville Area Medical Centerin South Carolina, a 25-bed facility with a staff of approximately200. However, after visiting Brookhaven he was intrigued about thepossibilities here.

“I had a good staff of employees, a good hospital and a goodboard of trustees. I was happy there, but this is a greatopportunity and I was happy to take advantage of that, too,” hesaid. “It’s a bigger hospital in a community I could look forwardto living in. The more I learn about the hospital the moreopportunities I see.”

At 122 beds and a staff of more than 500, KDMC is more thantwice the size of the Abbeville hospital. However, Hoover said partof his success has always been the ability to surround himself withquality employees, and he saw that quality here in everyone fromstaffers to the board of trustees.

“There are a lot of quality people here who have been here along time. That speaks well of the hospital,” Hoover said. “It’seasy to measure things from a financial or productive perspective,but it’s tougher to judge quality. I want to be number one inquality.”

He was also impressed with the mission of the hospital, whichplaces a strong emphasis on Christian values.

“The Christian mission of this organization is impressive tome,” Hoover said. “It helps me live out my faith every day andchallenges me to live out that faith.”

A project the size of KDMC’s $11 million expansion andrenovation also speaks well of the financial management of thehospital and the vision of the trustees, he said, adding he wasexcited to be a part of it.

“I’ve hardly had a chance to look at it, but it will add a greatamount of space and efficiency to the hospital,” Hoover said.

The new CEO said he expects to make few major changes in thehospital’s operation, but will likely make some minoradjustments.

“This has been a good running organization and there are nomajor changes that need to be done from an operational standpoint,just a little minor tweaking,” he said.

Hoover said his family was also looking forward to gettinginvolved in the community.

He brought with him his wife of 27 years, Nancy, and theirdaughters. The Hoovers have four children, Christy, 25, Jeff, 22,Katy, 17, and Amy, 14.

Christy chose to move to Mississippi with the family and Jeffhad recently moved to Tennessee to pursue a music career, he said.Katy and Amy are high school students.