Mark Slyter purposely pencils fitness activities in his daily planner, whether the entry is "6 a.m. – Run 5 miles," or "2 p.m., weight training—upper body," followed by a lower body focus on weights the following day. He might mix in a little tennis, a round of golf, or other athletic ventures.

 

"I literally have to schedule it into my day. If I don't, it's difficult to work it in … and by the time I get home, I'm wiped out," said Slyter, president of Baptist Medical Center and COO of Baptist Health Systems in Jackson since February 2009. "I married and had children later in life—we celebrated our 2-year anniversary in October, and our daughter, Catherine, turned 1 on Dec. 4—so I now have an even greater appreciation for achieving and maintaining a proper balance. Finding that sweet spot—dividing time for family, work, church and myself—remains the greatest challenge in my life. You absolutely cannot neglect yourself, and that's easy to do in this fast-paced life. That said, you have to give yourself a break if you're just too tired or don't have time a day here or there. That's going to happen."

 

Slyter's work ethic mimics those of NFL quarterback Brett Favre. Their dads, both educators, coached football. Slyter, who grew to be 30 to 40 pounds heavier and several inches taller than his dad, Ray, a lineman for Kansas State in his heyday, gravitated to the outside linebacker position for the University of Kansas. "I was a good college player, but I didn't have the skills to advance to the professional level," he admitted. "I never looked at football as a long-range plan beyond college. I wanted to play Division 1 football like my dad and I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to do that."

 

Slyter grew up in Augusta, Kansas, a small town located near Wichita, where he finished high school as the state wrestling champion. He also played saxophone in the concert band; classmates voted him Best Legs. His dad taught woodworking at the local middle school, helping Slyter develop craftsman skills for projects around the house. His mom, Hazel, taught high school math, computer science, and home economics at the local high school. On Sundays and Wednesday nights, the family of six—Slyter was the "ultimate middle child," he joked, as the third of four children—headed to the local Southern Baptist church, where his mom played the piano during worship services.

 

"My parents instilled in me faith early in life, and provided me an opportunity to develop a relationship with God," he said. "I'll always appreciate that."

 

At the University of Kansas, Slyter was pursuing an exercise science degree when an internship piqued his interest in hospital administration.

 

"I was heading to medical school," he said. "I'd taken the MCAT and was set to go. Then I worked with a healthcare administrator during the time that (Secretary of State) Hilary Clinton was heavily involved in the national debate on healthcare reform. I got so caught up in the discussion, and was part of a team that developed a healthcare reform plan. The administrator pulled me aside one day and said 'Mark, I know you're thinking about going to medical school. Have you ever thought about pursuing healthcare administration instead? You could go to school for two more years instead of 10 and work in an area that you're passionate about and really well-suited for.' He was quick to add that I'd probably make a fine doctor, but he started me thinking. The University of Kansas had a really good master's program in healthcare administration, so I got my graduate degree and earned a fellowship at a 5-hospital system in Greenville, South Carolina—my first taste of the South."

 

While there, a hospital administrator post opened up and the system wide COO asked Slyter to fill in on an interim basis while a search for a replacement was underway.

 

"After six months, the COO came back to me and said, 'well, Mark, you haven't screwed it up too bad. Why don't you keep the job?' So I had very quick on-the-job training, and ended up staying there for eight years, eventually handling two of the five hospitals in the system," said Slyter, who served as administrator of Hillcrest Hospital and Patewood Medical Campus for the Greenville Hospital System.

 

Then Slyter received a phone call from a recruiter, telling him about a hospital system in Jacksonville, Fla., that needed a vice president of operations. It was a good move for many reasons. During his five years as administrator of Baptist Medical Center Beaches (Baptist Health), he developed a love of scuba diving, expanded his expertise in healthcare administration matters, and met Lisa, a native of Baton Rouge, La., whom he married in 2007. Soon after the honeymoon, he received another recruiter call. This time, the job opening was for the COO position at Baptist Health Systems in Jackson, established more than a century ago.

 

"I loved the hospital, which has a longstanding history as a market leader in healthcare," he recalled. "Growing up Southern Baptist, my values aligned with the company's. Since it was located closer to my wife's family, and we were both sold on staying in the South, it was an ideal opportunity."