The Opp and Covington County Area Chamber of Commerce will recognized Mizell Memorial Hospital as its business of the year during its annual membership and hall of fame banquet in May.

Mizell is a private, not-for-profit health care organization governed by a local volunteer board of directors. Mizell’s hospital charter was adopted on December 10, 1945.

Serving as trustees at the time were R. S. Jeffcoat, J. L. Channell, Sr., F. M. Lyon, J. C. Foster, Jr., H. D. Danley, E. R. MacLennon, H. W. Waters, Sr., J. C. Hurst, and G. C. Pierce. With partial funding under the 1946 Hill-Burton Act, the trustees, other civic leaders, and The Opp & Micolas Cotton Mills committed to raise the funds for the original hospital building located at 702 North Main St. in Opp, where it remains today.  The hospital was named for the late Charles Wesley Mizell who was a prominent textile manufacturer, banker, and businessman.

The hospital building was dedicated on December 8, 1949, as a 29-bed facility. The hospital added another medical wing in 1957 followed by a new surgical wing in 1963. Growing vertically in 1969 from one to three stories, a new three-bed intensive care unit was also established.

Currently licensed for 99 beds, Mizell has an operating capacity of 59 beds consisting of 40 medical/surgical beds, five ICU beds, and 14 geriatric psych beds.  Today, Mizell has a full array of inpatient and outpatient primary care services including the following:

The hospital employs more than 250 individuals with an estimated local economic impact of more than $31.3 million.

The hospital’s emergency department has more than 12,000 visits annually, and Mizell provides approximately  $1.4 million annually in uncompensated care.

The hospital’s current board of directors includes: Dr. Jeffrey Worley, chairman; John Adams, vice chairman; Trippy McGuire, secretary; Jana Wyatt, CEO; Dr. Michael Stanfield; Dr. Ken Crowe; Melinda Hall; Donna Youmans; Skip Spurlin; and Dr. Steven Davis.

The banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

, at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Center.

Tickets, which are $25, are available at the Opp Chamber of Commerce office located at 200 South Main Street in The Opp Depot.