It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of longtime ARH Board of Trustees member and friend Duanne Thompson. He was only 60 years old.

He served on the ARH Board for a decade, leaving a lasting impact on our health system and the communities we serve.

Duanne’s dedication to the Board began in 2012 as a representative on our Regional Advisory Council. Recognizing his valuable contributions, he was elected to the Board of Trustees two years later.

Throughout the years, Duanne actively participated in shaping ARH’s future, serving on numerous committees, including Resources, Strategic Direction, Compensation & Contracts, Corporate Compliance, and Nomination & Education. He served as Chairman of the ARH Trustees from 2019 to 2021. We will always cherish the support he always showed for ARH moving forward. He most recently served as Chairman of the ARH Foundation Board.

Not only did Duanne help make a difference in our patients’ lives but the lives of so many others during his 38-year career with Community Trust Bank, where he has said making the dream of home ownership a reality for so many families was one of his favorite things.

Duanne’s wisdom, guidance, and unwavering support will be deeply missed. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. ARH has lost a true champion, and we are grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.

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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.