The Spartanburg County Foundation would like to formally congratulate Mary L. Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, on her appointment as chair of the Apella Health Management Board of Trustees.
Apella Health Management is a health system management company leading the transformation of healthcare delivery in the communities it serves.
A nationally recognized philanthropic leader, Mary will be the first black, female leader of the Board of Trustees, which provides oversight to Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Having served the past year as vice chair, Mary will begin her term as chair in October 2020. She replaces Robert E. Gregory Jr., who has served the past 10 years as chair of the board for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and later Apella Health.
“Chairman Gregory has guided this complex organization for nearly a decade, which is undoubtedly the most remarkable period in our 100-year history,” Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System CEO Bruce Holstien said. “He has left his indelible mark on this organization. We welcome Mary Thomas to the helm of this critical enterprise.”
With more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Thomas currently serves as the Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer. In this role, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and leads its mission, vision and strategies, while translating its goals into the overall program of work.
“Apella is transforming the way we approach health care in the Upstate by creating partnerships, improving health outcomes and planning for the future,” Thomas said. “I am honored to be selected by my peers to serve as the next chair of the Board of Trustees and look forward to continuing our work together.”
An active leader in the Spartanburg community and beyond, Thomas has held leadership roles in organizations that include the Council on Foundations National Policy and Advocacy Committee, Southeastern Network of African Americans in Black Philanthropy, Converse College Board of Visitors, the Northside Development Group Board of Directors, and the BMW Community Advisory Panel.
Among her numerous honors, Thomas was named Top Three Distinguished Grantmakers by the Council on Foundations in 2014, and in 2006 was the first Black recipient of the Council on Foundations Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking established by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund of New York. After winning the award, Thomas used the prize money of $10,000, coupled with numerous gifts from the Spartanburg community, to establish the Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership and Community Change Fund. This fund is currently managed by the Spartanburg County Foundation.
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Congratulations Mary on this impactful and historic achievement!
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