Robert “Bob” Dumas Honored as 2025 Alabama Hospital Association Trustee of the Year

OPELIKA, Ala.–The Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA) proudly announces Robert “Bob” Dumas, a distinguished East Alabama Healthcare Authority Board of Directors member, as the recipient of the esteemed 2025 Trustee of the Year award. This accolade, presented at the annual Alabama Healthcare Leadership Summit on Friday, Feb. 7, celebrates Dumas’ outstanding dedication to East Alabama Health in Auburn, Opelika and Valley, its patients, and the broader community.

Donald Williamson, M.D., president of the Alabama Hospital Association, emphasized the pivotal role of trustees in ensuring hospital success.

“Robert Dumas embodies the dedication and leadership that drive meaningful change in healthcare and beyond,” said Dr. Williamson. “His unwavering commitment to East Alabama Health, along with his extensive service in education and finance, has profoundly strengthened the east Alabama community.”

Since joining the board of directors in 2008, Dumas has played a vital role in advancing healthcare in the region, serving as treasurer and secretary and contributing to key committees focused on finance, compliance, quality of care, and strategic planning. His leadership has supported major hospital expansions, including the development of the Spencer Cancer Center, a Level-III NICU, and the Auburn Medical Pavilion, as well as ongoing projects such as the upcoming critical care expansion and the freestanding Center for Mental Health.

Beyond his contributions to East Alabama Health, Dumas has made a lasting impact on the state’s financial and educational institutions. He has served as chairman, president, and CEO of AuburnBank, a member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees (including a term as president pro tempore), and a board member for the Alabama Bankers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. His leadership, financial expertise, and commitment to community development have earned him numerous honors, including the Auburn Chamber of Commerce’s Bill Ham Lifetime Impact Award and the Lee County Boy Scouts’ Distinguished Citizen Award.

“We are deeply grateful for Bob’s steadfast leadership and dedication to our organization” stated Laura Grill, East Alabama Health, president and CEO. “From expanding critical services to guiding strategic growth, his impact can be seen in the lives of the patients and families we serve every day. Bob’s leadership has helped shape the future of healthcare in east Alabama, and we are honored that AlaHA selected him as Trustee of the Year in recognition of his many contributions to our organization.”

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About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital that is currently under construction to add 30 critical care beds. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.