Loy Howard, president and CEO of Tanner Health, has been recognized by Georgia Trend as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians” for the fourth consecutive year.
Each year, the magazine honors 100 noteworthy individuals for their positive impact on the state, acknowledging their incredible contributions in education, innovation and economic development.
“Leadership in health care is about providing the range of services and treatment options that people need today while also preparing for the innovations and improvements they’ll need tomorrow,” said Daniel Jackson, chairman of the board for Tanner Medical Center, Inc. “Doing this requires vision and consistency — qualities that Loy embodies and that, I believe, characterize his leadership of Tanner Health over the past 30 years.”
What started as two community hospitals — Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton and Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica — when Howard joined the organization in 1994 has grown into a successful five-hospital system and one of metro Atlanta's largest multispecialty physician groups.
All the while, Tanner has built a reputation of providing personalized care and reinvesting revenue into community health initiatives while upholding its commitment to service and innovation.
“I’m grateful for this recognition but even more grateful for the impact that we’re having on the communities we serve,” said Howard. “For generations, we have grown and evolved to meet the needs of our patients. We are expanding facilities, introducing new services and improving access — all to ensure our friends and neighbors continue to get the care they need right here at home. It’s been true for the past 75 years, and I expect it will be true for the next 75 years to come and beyond.”
Recent milestones for Tanner include a nearly finished 97,000-square-foot patient tower in Carrollton, the opening of Willowbrooke Urgent Care for Mental Health and Substance Use, a new Mercer University School of Medicine clinical campus set to open in July 2026 and a four-story women’s expansion currently under construction in Villa Rica.
Since 1949, Tanner has been redefining care for west Georgia and east Alabama, and this recognition of Howard’s foresight and dedication reflects a simple truth: strong leadership builds strong communities.
Learn more about the Most Influential Georgians program and access the full list of honorees at the following link: https://www.georgiatrend.com/2025/12/31/2026-100-most-influential-georgians/.