Ben Barylske named St. Bernards CFO

Jonesboro native Ben Barylske has been named Chief Financial Officer of St. Bernards Healthcare. In his new role as Chief Financial Officer, Barylske will oversee the finances of St. Bernards Healthcare.

Barylske played an instrumental role in Jonesboro working as the city’s Chief Financial Officer from 2010 to 2015. He left the city in August 2015 to take a similar position with NEA Baptist Clinic. Prior to his work with the city, he spent 10 years working in the state Division of Legislative Audit.

Barylske received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1999 from Arkansas State University. He is skilled in budget preparation, fiscal management and economic development.

His tenure begins towards the tail end of a massive reconstruction project. St. Bernards $137.5 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2019 and will increase building space on the hospital campus by 25% to 1.026 million square feet. More than four years ago, administrators decided to formulate a plan to renovate and streamline services, he said. Four areas were targeted: cancer care, heart care, surgery and intensive care.

Barylske is a past volunteer of St. Bernards Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House, and is currently serving on the board of directors for the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Walnut Street Baptist Church where he has served two terms on the finance committee.

Barylske has been married to his wife Bobbi for 28 years and they have two children. Their daughter Alex, is a teacher in Chattanooga, Tenn., and their son, Trevor, is an engineering student at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.