Interim CEO David Pope Joins Scotland Health Care System as Chief Operating Officer

COLUMBUS, N.C. – St. Luke’s Hospital announces Michelle Fortune has been named its
new chief executive officer, replacing interim CEO David Pope who will join Scotland
Heath Care System in Laurinburg.
Fortune joins St. Luke’s from Atrium Health in Charlotte where she served as Metro
Division President of Perioperative Services and Anesthesia, serving the Atrium Health
Charlotte region since 2012.
She was instrumental in the Atrium Health transformation of anesthesia services in 2018
and has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, building teams, executing
strategy and boosting performance through results-oriented leadership. Prior to joining
Atrium Health, Fortune operated and managed several surgical hospitals and
ambulatory surgery centers in North Carolina, Texas and Louisiana.
“It is my privilege to join the talented team at St. Luke’s Hospital,” Fortune said. “I look
forward to continuing the important work of serving the healthcare needs in the
Carolina Foothills and Polk County.
“I’m impressed with St. Luke’s high patient satisfaction scores, quality measures and
especially the exceptional care the team provides to enable patients to remain close to
home and family,” she added.
St. Luke’s Hospital’s Board of Trustees Chair Linda Greensfelder said, “We are thrilled to
welcome Michelle to the St. Luke’s family. Her exemplary professional background and

role as a visionary leader at Atrium Health is the perfect combination to guide this
hospital into our future. With Michelle at the helm, we will continue to provide the very
best care to our patients and our community.”
Pope, who served St. Luke’s as interim CEO since Nov. 1, 2018, will be joining Scotland
Health Care System as senior vice president and chief operating officer.
“We are grateful for the dedication and leadership of David Pope in his role as interim
CEO. Scotland Health Care System is getting an incredible leader, and we look forward
to cheering all his future successes,” Greensfelder said.
Fortune, her husband, Timothy, and their four fur babies are excited about the move to
Polk County and look forward to being closer to family and the abundance of outdoor
activities available in the Carolina Foothills.
The transition for Fortune and Pope is effective as of March 4, 2019.