Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/26/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- James K. Elrod, chief executive officer of Willis-Knighton Health System will be the speaker at Northwestern State University's spring commencement exercises Friday, May 10. Ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Prather Coliseum.

Elrod was named administrator of Willis-Knighton Memorial Hospital in l965 at age 27. He has guided the growth of Willis-Knighton into a major health network of 10 hospitals and numerous other health services throughout Northwest Louisiana.

During his professional career, Elrod has served in leadership positions in many state and national healthcare organizations, such as trustee of the American Hospital Association, trustee of the Voluntary Hospital Association, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana Hospital Association and of its Malpractice and Workmen's Compensation Insurance Trust Funds.

Elrod's community service includes membership and participation on the boards of Biomedical Research Institute, Louisiana State Fair Association, Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, Committee of 100, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, LSU-Shreveport Foundation, KDAQ Public Radio, Salvation Army and Retail Merchants' Association.

In 1997, Elrod received the prestigious Business Leader of the Year Award by the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, the Universal Human Rights Service Award by the Human Rights Commission and was elected to the North Louisiana Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement. He was named one of the most influential people in Northwestern Louisiana during the past century by The Shreveport Times.

Elrod grew up in Port Neches, Texas and attended Baylor University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a commission in the United States Air Force through ROTC. Following military service in Japan, he attended Washington University School of Medicine, receiving a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration.

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