“A seven-year veteran on the Board, Mr. Rickenbaker has served in many capacities, including chairman of the Finance Committee for several years,” noted Board Chairman Edward B. Furtick. “Currently he serves on the Management Oversight Committee and as an at-large member of the Executive Committee. Kenneth is highly respected by his peers, and his advice and input are constantly sought by all Board members,” Furtick said. “He is dependable, trustworthy, respectful, professional and has a good working relationship with others. Under his leadership as chair of the Finance Committee, RMC maintained a strong financial position.”

RMC President & CEO Thomas C. Dandridge commented, “His belief in the mission of RMC is most impressive, and he works tirelessly to help the hospital achieve its goal of being the best healthcare institution in the area. Others follow his lead when it comes to matters of hospital finance. This award provides an opportunity to publicly thank and acknowledge Mr. Rickenbaker for his service and leadership. His contributions have helped RMC move forward as a hospital that leads in quality and technology that others would like to emulate.”

A native of Calhoun County, Rickenbaker has served as a member of the Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees since 2003. In addition to his past service as chairman of the Finance Committee for several years and as a current member of the Management Oversight Committee and the Executive Committee, Rickenbaker has served on the Human Resource Committee, Bylaws Committee, Ad Hoc Radiology Committee, Ad Hoc Human Resource Committee and the RMC Foundation Board.

Rickenbaker retired in December 2002 after serving 23 years as Calhoun County’s Administrator. He was their first county administrator, and they renamed their Calhoun County Human Resource Center the “Kenneth T. Rickenbaker Human Resource Building” in his honor in January 2003.

A community leader and advocate for improving the quality of life for others, Rickenbaker is actively involved in the community through various organizations and regularly gives of his time to serve others. A member and past president of St. Matthews Rotary Club, he is a Paul Harris Fellow and was honored as Rotarian of the Year in 2002. He is a former member of the South Carolina City-County Managers Association, a member and past president of Resource Conservation and District Board, and serves on the Lower Savannah Council of Government Revolving Loan Committee. He served on a nine-county committee that was instrumental in forming the Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority. Rickenbaker is a charter Board member of Calhoun County Cares, a community service organization that contributes funding to those who are unable to pay for prescription medications. He is a member of First Baptist Church of St. Matthews.

He and his wife, Patsy, have a son, David (wife, Jean), and two grandchildren.