Blake A. Thornton, MHA, FACHE, CPHQ, CPPS, Director, Quality and Risk Management, Pinckneyville Community Hospital, Pinckneyville, IL, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.

“The healthcare management field plays a vital role in providing high-quality care to the people in our communities, which makes having a standard of excellence promoted by a professional organization critically important,” says Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, president and CEO of ACHE. “By becoming an ACHE Fellow and earning the distinction of board certification from ACHE, healthcare leaders demonstrate a commitment to excellence in serving their patients and the community.”

Fellow status represents the achievement of the highest standard of professional development. As of January 1, 2025, only 8,697 healthcare executives hold this distinction.

To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including membership in ACHE, meeting academic and experiential criteria, references, earning continuing education credits, demonstrating professional/community involvement, and passing a comprehensive examination. Fellows also are committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

Thornton of Pinckneyville Community Hospital is privileged to bear the FACHE^® credential, which signifies board certification in healthcare management as Fellow of ACHE.

For more information regarding the FACHE credential, please contact ACHE Customer Service by calling (312) 424-9400, emailing contact@ache.org, or visiting ache.org/FACHE