Piedmont Newton Hospital recently welcomed four new members to its Board of Directors. Serra P. Hall, Vice President of Project Development for the Newton County Industrial Development Authority, Debra J. Lary, Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Newton College and Career Academy, Rev. Dr. Eric Wendel Lee, Sr., Senior Pastor for Springfield Baptist Church, and Dan Murphy, President and CEO for Bridgestone Golf, officially began service in November.
“We are pleased to welcome Serra, Debra, Rev. Lee, and Dan to the Piedmont Newton family. These individuals bring a unique set of skills and diverse perspectives to the table,” said David Kent, CEO of Piedmont Newton Hospital. “Undoubtedly, each is a great addition to our board.”
Serra P. Hall joined the Newton County Office of Economic Development in 2012. Her primary focus areas are recruitment and retention support for industrial, commercial and hospitality businesses within Newton County. As the recruitment leader for Newton County, Hall has worked closely with companies such as McKinley Paper, Inc., Facebook Newton Data Center, Lidl, Inc., as well as Nisshinbo Automotive, FiberVisions and General Mills as they have expanded into the community. In addition to recruiting businesses to the area, Hall is actively engaged in workforce development and job creation. Hall attended the University of Georgia where she studied Recreation/Leisure Studies and Business Management at the Terry College of Business.
Debra J. Lary is a dedicated educator with a passion for advancing career technology education. In addition to serving as the Youth Apprentice Coordinator, Lary also serves as the Entrepreneurial Business Incubator Coordinator and the Work-Based Learning Coordinator for the Newton College and Career Academy, as well as the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) department chair and content specialist. Prior to joining the Newton College and Career Academy, Lary taught Business and Computer Science at Newton County High School. Lary received her Bachelor of Computer Science from Spelman College and a Master of Education in Business and an Education Specialist Degree in Leadership from the University of West Georgia.
Rev. Dr. Eric W. Lee joined Springfield Baptist Church as the church’s senior pastor in May 1999. The church has over 10,000 members and serves the communities of Newton and Rockdale through more than 40 ministries such as the Food Ministry, Nursing Home Ministry, Recovery at Work Substance Abuse Ministry, and Transitional Prison Ministry. Rev. Lee graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in History. He then attended the Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville where he concentrated in Ethics, Religion and Society. Rev. Lee earned his Doctor of Ministry at the Gordon-Conwell Theological School in 2019. He is a member of the Morehouse College National Alumni Association, a member of the Executive Council of the Hampton University Minister’s Conference, and was inducted into the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. International Board of Preachers in 2018.
Dan Murphy first joined Bridgestone Golf, Inc. in 2004 as executive vice president of sales and marketing. In 2015, he left the company only to return in 2018 as CEO. Prior to joining Bridgestone, he worked for Maxfli Golf, TaylorMade Golf, and Dunlop Sports. With a background in sales and marketing, Murphy brings extensive experience in developing consumer brands into industry leaders. He understands the importance of team building and creating personal relationships and how these aspects influence business performance and growth. He is active in the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce, serves as a board member for The First Tee, and is a past board member of the Arts Association in Newton County. Murphy is a graduate of Wake Forest University.
For more information about Piedmont Newton Hospital, visit www.piedmont.org/Newton.