Christopher Clay
Chief Financial Officer & Information Technology Director, Rainelle Medical Center, Inc.
Written by Samantha Cart
Christopher Clay’ s career path did not begin in health care. After earning a bachelor’ s degree in business administration from King University, Clay worked at an accounting firm in Tennessee before moving into financial sales, which brought him home to West Virginia. After consulting and working with online businesses, he finally landed in his current role as chief financial officer( CFO) and information technology( IT) director for Rainelle Medical Center, Inc.( RMC).
“ I can’ t say I chose this area of practice, but building something that is meaningful, serves others and benefits the world was always something I was seeking,” Clay says.“ When the opportunity came to help grow and improve health care in Southern West Virginia, it wasn’ t something I could pass up.”
Clay hit his stride at RMC, due in large part to the leadership and mentorship of CEO Kristi Atha-Rader, a strong staff and supportive board of directors. As CFO and IT director, Clay’ s core function is reporting financial results and providing strategic guidance to RMC leadership.
“ I am always identifying our core strengths to leverage and weaknesses to mitigate, planning for ways to capitalize on opportunities, developing guidance on navigating the challenges of the health care industry and communicating this in actionable insights to leadership throughout the organization,” he says.
Clay has supported the modernization of RMC’ s IT stack and overseen the overhaul of its accounting system, which positions the organization to be able to manage major growth over the coming decades. He credits strong relationships and teamwork for all the success he has experienced and overseen, both personally and professionally.
Photo by Cassie Rudd.
“ All glory, career or otherwise, is God’ s, and my relationship with the Creator is of utmost importance in all things,” he says.“ He has blessed me with a true companion in my wife, Stephanie, with whom I have raised four successful children. Everything I’ m recognized for professionally is the result of teamwork. Rural health care only works when finance, operations, clinicians and community pull together, and I’ m grateful to serve alongside people who do that well.”
Clay’ s Mountain State roots run deep, tracing his family back to 1775 settlers
70 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE