Deaconess Health System Names Alice Rigdon and CFO, Cheryl Wathen to Retire

Deaconess Health System today announced that Alice Rigdon, MBA, has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective this fall. Rigdon joins Deaconess from Mayo Clinic in Florida, where she has served as Chief Financial Officer of the Florida campus since 2020.

Rigdon succeeds Cheryl Wathen, CPA, MBA, CHFP, who is retiring after more than 36 years with Deaconess, including 16 years as the system's CFO. Wathen will remain through the end of September to support the leadership transition.

"Cheryl has been a cornerstone of this organization for more than three decades," said Shawn McCoy, Chief Executive Officer of Deaconess Health System. "The financial strength that allows Deaconess to grow and continue serving our communities is a direct reflection of her stewardship and leadership. We are grateful for everything she has contributed to this organization."

"Alice brings the financial depth, strategic experience and leadership capabilities that Deaconess needs as we continue to grow across the region," McCoy added. "We are confident she is the right person to build on the strong foundation Cheryl has established."

ABOUT ALICE RIGDON: As CFO of Mayo Clinic in Florida, Rigdon supported significant capital initiatives and innovative care models. She was also a member of the Enterprise Finance Leadership Team driving system-wide finance transformation initiatives including standardization, automation and workforce development. Prior to Mayo Clinic, she served as VP of Finance at SCL Health's Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. She served in several roles with Tenet Healthcare including Director of Outpatient Strategy and Development and CFO of Piedmont Medical Center in South Carolina and worked at McKinsey and Company. Rigdon holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Furman University.

ABOUT CHERYL WATHEN: Wathen held roles including manager of internal audit, manager of finance, CFO of The Women's Hospital and controller of Deaconess Health System before being named Senior Vice President and CFO in 2010. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Brescia University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Indiana, and holds both the Certified Public Accountant and Certified Healthcare Financial Professional designations. "What I am most proud of is the people I have hired and mentored who have excelled in their roles and will be the leaders that take Deaconess into the future," said Wathen. "I would not have been successful without the support of my fellow leaders, our Board of Directors and my fellow employees. I am grateful to have worked in such a wonderful organization."

ABOUT DEACONESS HEALTH SYSTEM: Deaconess Health System is a premiere provider of health care services to a population of more than 1.5 million in southwestern Indiana, western Kentucky and southeastern Illinois. The system – based in Evansville, Indiana – includes 22 hospitals – among them Deaconess Midtown Hospital, Deaconess Gateway Hospital, The Women’s Hospital, Deaconess Henderson Hospital, Deaconess Memorial Medical Center and numerous other hospital affiliates. Deaconess Clinic, a fully integrated multispecialty group featuring primary care physicians as well as top specialty doctors, provides patients with consistent and convenient care. Additional components include the Linda E. White Hospice House, a freestanding cancer center, urgent care facilities, near-site clinics, telemedicine, virtual visits, a network of preferred hospitals and doctors and multiple partnerships with other regional health care providers.

Cheryl Wathen, CPA, MBA, CHFP         Alice Rigdon, MBA