Lexington Health has unanimously named a new president and CEO. Kirk Jenkins, senior vice president of the Physician Network at Lexington Health, will succeed Tod Augsburger, current president and CEO, on January 1, 2026. Augsburger announced his retirement in April of this year.
“For the past 10 years, Tod has guided Lexington Health through some of the most challenging and transformative moments in our history, including the COVID-19 pandemic. His unwavering leadership, vision and dedication have strengthened our ability to provide the highest quality health services, and we are deeply grateful for his service,” said Randy Senn, chair of the Lexington Health board of directors. “Lexington Health looks forward to continuing our legacy of community commitment as the only local, independent hospital system in the Midlands under Kirk’s leadership.”
With extensive experience in health care leadership in the Midlands and around the country, Augsburger served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at Lexington Health for 16 years before becoming its president and CEO in 2015. During his tenure, the system expanded its services to meet growing community needs, built and acquired new facilities, invested in leading-edge technology and formed significant partnerships. Some of Augsburger’s key accomplishments include:
- Structural transition to Lexington Health, a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization.
- Improved access to primary and specialty care with the construction of a state-of-the-art patient care tower at Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia; community medical and urgent care centers in Northeast Columbia, Cayce and Lexington; and medical parks in West Columbia, Forest Acres, Blythewood and Lexington.
- Coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the establishment of testing and vaccination clinics in the Midlands.
- Partnership with the University of South Carolina College of Nursing to fund an innovative training facility and provide clinical instructors to guide the next generation of nurses.
- Clinical distinctions that recognize Lexington Health’s commitment to excellence in patient care, including U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospital in the Columbia Metro Region for four consecutive years and the state’s first Magnet with Distinction™ hospital from the American Nurses Credentialing Center
- Establishment of Graduate Medical Education, which includes family medicine, internal medicine and transitional year residencies and a clinical informatics fellowship.
“I am so proud of what Lexington Health has accomplished as an organization and have no doubt that we will continue to succeed because of our staff and their dedication to providing our friends, families and neighbors with the highest quality care,” said Augsburger. “Working alongside our providers, administrators, clinicians and support staff has truly been the honor of my life. I know that our Lexington Health family is in great hands with Kirk as our next president and CEO, with the support of our strong leadership team and board of directors.”
“Kirk has been serving in leadership roles at Lexington Health for more than 10 years,” said Senn. “His proven track record, breadth of experience and innate understanding of our values and culture are why the board voted unanimously to promote him to his new role. We have every confidence that he is the right leader for our hospital and its network of care.”
Jenkins, a native of West Columbia and graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School, received a master’s degree in business administration from Clemson University in 2003 and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Citadel in 2000. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Prior to joining Lexington Health, Jenkins was a health care administrator in the United States Air Force from 2004 to 2013, serving in multiple operational leadership and strategic planning positions.
Jenkins joined Lexington Health in 2013 and became responsible for the physician network in 2015. In this role, he led the network through unprecedented growth and success. In just 10 years, Lexington Health increased the number of employed physicians and advanced practice providers from 387 to 718. Additionally, Jenkins guided the development of several market-leading clinical service lines, including heart and vascular, orthopaedics, oncology, urology and general surgery.
Combined with his service in the United States Air Force, Jenkins’ leadership in the growth of Lexington Health’s physician network uniquely positions him to build on the organization’s successes and strengthen its position as an independent health system. His experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of market competition, financial and operational structures, quality and performance improvement initiatives, strategic priorities and organizational culture.
“I am very honored to serve as the next president and CEO of Lexington Health and continue working with our dedicated and incredibly talented team to provide the highest quality care to our patients and their families, while strengthening our commitment to our communities as the only local, independent health system in the Midlands,” said Jenkins.
In its 54-year history, Lexington Medical Center has only had five CEOs: George Rentz, Ken Shull, Mike Biediger, Tod Augsburger, and Kirk Jenkins.
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