Ascension has named Don King as CEO of Ascension St. Vincent in Indiana, effective January 1, 2026. King currently serves as CEO of Ascension Florida, a role he has held since 2022.
Under his leadership, King brings 25 years of healthcare leadership experience to Indiana, including previous roles as Ministry Market Executive in Florida and Kansas, and COO positions in Tennessee and Alabama. His track record includes leading community initiatives to address social determinants of health and achieving measurable improvements in quality metrics.
In Indiana, he will oversee over 15,000 associates, 19 hospitals and more than 300 care sites. Ascension St. Vincent has experienced significant growth in recent years through expanded specialty care, strengthened rural access and nationally recognized improvements in quality and patient experience. King will carry this momentum forward by deepening community partnerships, supporting clinical excellence and advancing Mission-centered care for individuals and families across Indiana.
During his tenure in Florida, King led a remarkable financial turnaround while expanding access to ambulatory and high-acuity service offerings: Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola received Trauma Level I designation, multiple freestanding emergency departments opened with additional locations planned, and the ministry earned many national safety and quality awards.
He also advanced the organization's Mission to care for the most vulnerable by strengthening community partnerships with FQHCs and other organizations, expanding the Dispensary of Hope to provide free and reduced-cost medications, and securing a Florida Department of Health grant to launch a Telehealth Maternity Program serving expectant mothers facing socioeconomic barriers across the Panhandle and Jacksonville.
"I am deeply grateful to the associates, physicians and community partners in Florida who have worked alongside me to advance our Mission these past years. Together, we've strengthened care for those most vulnerable across our communities," King said. "I look forward to serving the people of Indiana by supporting Ascension St. Vincent's exceptional care teams and deepening the partnerships that allow us to meet people where they are with compassionate, high-quality care."
While the health system conducts its search for the Ministry’s next CEO, John Deardorff, Regional Operating Officer for Ascension, will serve as interim Ministry Market CEO for Florida.
