Posted On: July 2, 2025
SMC President/CEO Mr. Jeff St. Clair announced this week that he will retire in August after 17 years in the hospital’s top leadership position.
“My hope is that this organization will become as meaningful to those working here as it’s always been to me in the 42 years I’ve been a part of the hospital,” explains Mr. St. Clair, who is one of only three people ever to have held that top position in the hospital’s history. “It’s a historic time in the hospital’s history as we celebrate 50 years, and I’ll be leaving the organization at a time marked by an incredible transition with a new orthopaedic care partner and a top-rated cardiac surgery program that we built from the ground up.”
Mr. St. Clair began his healthcare administration career at Springhill in the mid-1980s as assistant vice president of operations. He was promoted to Chief Operations Officer in the ‘90s and to the top spot in 2008.
He currently serves on the hospital’s Board of Directors. During recent years of service at Springhill, Mr. St. Clair played a major role in developing and designing the hospital’s 50,000-square-foot Heart Center. He has also led several other major projects on campus over the years, including: the orthopaedic surgery center; major updates & expansions of the Emergency Department and the Labor and Delivery Unit; the eye, ear, nose, throat surgery center; two medical office buildings; numerous hospital renovations; the launch of new services lines; and conversions of major information technology systems. In addition, Mr. St. Clair spearheaded several patient quality initiatives to strengthen Springhill’s efforts in maintaining a safe and healthy medical facility.
Mr. St. Clair has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in Health Care Management and completed his master’s work in Health Administration at Kennedy-Western University.
I have been at this hospital for most of my professional career, and it is like a home to me, and the people are like family,” Mr. St. Clair said. “In the early years, I had the privilege of establishing several service lines so the local community could have a choice in the type of hospital care they received. It’s always been important to us here to provide the same type of care we would want for our own family members. My focus has been to build on that reputation and make sure we deliver that care in the safest, fastest, most compassionate manner possible.
"I am most grateful to the hospital’s ownership – the Wallace and Rudolph families – for their faith in me and for giving me an amazing opportunity at Springhill. I would not have wanted to work anywhere else!”
In addition to his outstanding achievements at Springhill, Mr. St. Clair has been a part of some important work by key non-profit organizations in our community. Most significantly while at Springhill, Mr. St. Clair led the efforts for at least 15 years to raise the most funds for the American’s Heart Association’s Heart Walk fund-raiser. He’s also served on the following Boards: United Way of Southwest Alabama, American Heart Association, Alabama Kidney Foundation, Junior Achievement, Life Lines Counseling Services, St. Ignatius Parish Council (President), McGill-Toolen Catholic High School (President), Alabama Hospital Association Legislative Committee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, and the Business Council of Alabama, to name a few.