Together, Golich and the board will help shape the $148.5 million project as AST expands access to care in Montgomery County. The advisory board will provide community input and leadership throughout the development of the hospital and health campus, helping ensure the new campus reflects the needs and priorities of the people it will serve, according to a news release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis hospital is being built for Clarksville, and it is important that the community has a meaningful voice in how it takes shape,\u201d said Fahad Tahir, president and CEO of AST, in the release. \u201cJake brings the experience and leadership needed to build and lead a strong community hospital, and our advisory board brings perspectives from leaders who know Clarksville-Montgomery County and are deeply invested in its future. Together, they will help us build a hospital that is ready to serve this community from day one and grow with it for generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Jake](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Copy-of-Faded-background-vertical-cs-28-1200x768.jpg\")
Jake Golich, the first president and CEO of the Ascension Saint Thomas Clarksville Hospital. (Ascension Saint Thomas, Contributed) <\/p>\n
Golich returns to Ascension after almost 20 years<\/p>\n
Golich brings nearly two decades of healthcare leadership experience in hospital operations, growth strategy, physician recruitment, community relationships and capital development. Most recently, he served in executive and regional leadership roles with HCA Healthcare\u2019s TriStar Division, including as CEO of Pinewood Springs Mental Health and Wellness in Columbia, Tennessee.<\/p>\n
He also has experience planning, licensing, designing and constructing new and renovated healthcare facilities in growing communities. The appointment marks a return to Ascension for Golich, who began his healthcare leadership career at Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.<\/p>\n
Golich said he considers his return to Ascesion a full-circle moment, and he and his wife have already spent the past four weeks being Clarksvillians.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo come back in this role and in this capacity, and to see what Ascension Saint Thomas is doing not just in the Clarksville community but across Middle Tennessee, that\u2019s pretty important,\u201d Golich told Clarksville Now. \u201cAnd it ties all of those pieces of our mission and vision into one, both personally and professionally. That\u2019s very meaningful at this point in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goal of local high-quality care, collaboration with sister hospitals<\/p>\n
Golich said that his goal is to provide high-quality care at a local level.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, we also know that we aren\u2019t going to be able to be everything to everyone on day one, but luckily, we have those partnerships with our sister hospitals at Midtown and West (in Nashville) that we\u2019re going to be able to collaborate with, and with our community as well,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, in the event we don\u2019t have something, we\u2019ll be able to bring that to our local facility in some capacity, or we\u2019ll be able to get that patient in place at one of our other hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Golich also said that AST wants to be a top corporate citizen locally, but more than just from a healthcare standpoint. \u201cIt is unique to be in a CEO role without a hospital. For someone in my position, you don\u2019t often get to see something from the ground up like this,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re so excited to be a part of Clarksville, to be an expansion of the community and its growth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As for first impressions, Golich said while Clarksville is growing rapidly, it still has that small-town feel. \u201cWe have been welcomed with open arms by everyone we\u2019ve have met,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s pretty special, and it doesn\u2019t happen everywhere. That\u2019s a testament to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community Advisory Board members named<\/p>\n
The AST Community Advisory Board includes a range of perspectives and experiences across Clarksville-Montgomery County. Members will serve as community advisors as plans for the hospital and health campus advance, providing insight on local needs, opportunities, and priorities. Many members are expected to transition to serve on the hospital\u2019s inaugural Board of Directors when it opens.<\/p>\n
The inaugural board includes:<\/p>\n
Board Chair: Wes Golden, Montgomery County Mayor<\/p>\n
Honorary Co-Chair: Jack Turner, Founder, Jack B. Turner & Associates<\/p>\n
Tommy Bates, CEO, Legends Bank<\/p>\n
Jeff Bibb, Owner, JV Bibb Consulting<\/p>\n
Rosalind Kurita, Executive Director, Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation<\/p>\n
Ben Kimbrough Jr., Retired<\/p>\n
Leo Millan, Owner, Millan Enterprises<\/p>\n
Dr. Mark Muiznieks, Emergency Medicine Physician<\/p>\n
Rob Salome, President, Solutions 21<\/p>\n
Ralph Schulz, Principal Consultant, Thrivence<\/p>\n
\u201cClarksville-Montgomery County is growing quickly, and decisions being made today will shape how our community accesses healthcare for generations to come,\u201d Golden said. \u201cThis board gives local leaders an opportunity to bring the community\u2019s perspective directly into that work.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Plans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Ascension-Saint-Thomas-campus-0513-2026-1200x768.jpg\")
Plans for the Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus. (Kimley-Horn, CMC IDB, contributed)<\/p>\n
What\u2019s coming for AST Clarksville campus<\/p>\n