Roger Sumner announced Monday he plans to step down as chairman of Floyd Healthcare Management Inc. after serving in that capacity for 16 years.

While his resignation takes effect Sept. 24, Sumner will remain a member of the hospital’s board of directors and serve in the role of past chairman for FHMI, which oversees Floyd Medical Center.

“There always comes a time in a person’s life when there is a decision to make and this is an interesting one,” Sumner said.

“This hospital has given me probably the 30 best years of my life. It is a great institution with great management and great employees and the people of this community ought to be proud of this hospital.”

“I have been very blessed to have worked with Roger Sumner as our chairman,” said Kurt Stuenkel, president and chief executive officer Floyd Medical Center.

“Roger is a mentor and a friend, and we have all benefited from his wisdom, intelligence, and his deep concern for Floyd Medical Center’s vital role in this community.”

Sumner was appointed to the Hospital Authority of Floyd County in 1982. He has served as chairman of the FHMI board since 1996.

“Having been associated with Floyd for a long time, I’ve seen a lot happen,” Sumner said. “I have been fortunate to have somebody like Kurt here as well as everyone of you on this board.”

Dr. George Bosworth, a retired pediatrician and FHMI board member since 2001, will succeed Sumner as chairman after he was recommended by the FHMI nominating committee. Bosworth will officially take over in September.

Besides establishing the role of past chairman and naming Bosworth the new chairman, nominating committee chairman Dr. Chad Herring also recommended to make the FHMI chairman term five years, establish the role of chairman elect and appoint Bill Wigley to continue as vice chairman.

In other business:

Both the Hospital Authority of Floyd County and Floyd Healthcare Management Inc. approved the offer by the Georgia Department of Transportation to purchase right of way property for the upcoming Second Avenue expansion project.

Board attorney Wade Monk explained the two areas of Floyd Medical Center’s Rome campus that would be impacted significantly by the roadwork — the corner of West Fifth Street and Second Avenue and a portion of the emergency room parking lot off Second Avenue near Turner-McCall Boulevard.

In all, the deal calls for .38 acres of the hospital’s property to be turned over to the state in exchange for $285,039, which includes the purchase price for the land plus $80,000 to remediate construction areas such as moving signage and creating new landscaping.

A number of board member moves were also approved during the meeting.

David Johnson was rotated off the Floyd Healthcare Resources Inc. but will remain on the Hospital Authority; Kay Chumbler will leave Floyd Healthcare Resources Inc. and join FHMI; and Dr. Dan Hanks and David Newby were appointed to the board of FHRI.

Bill Wigley was reappointed to a three-year term on the Floyd Healthcare Management Inc. board, Dr. Billy Burk was reappointed to a five-year term on the Hospital Authority and Jerry Norman, chairman of the Hospital Authority, was reappointed to a five-year term.