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Peter Kinder joins health care network in leadership position

SoutheastHEALTH, a network of health care providers and facilities, has found its new vice president for governmental affairs in former Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder

Kinder will work with local, county, state, and federal agencies on health care issues in his new role. He is also tasked with educating communities about ways to collaborate, improve health care, and lower costs. 

“Government and health care are both incredibly complex and both are also intertwined in many ways. In my role, I hope to help SoutheastHEALTH navigate these complexities to further its mission of providing excellent health care services to residents of this region,” said Kinder. “I was born at Southeast Hospital and my father, James Kinder, was a practicing pediatrician at Southeast Hospital for many years. That makes this new role even more meaningful in that it allows me to continue what always has been a very special relationship with SoutheastHEALTH.” 

Kinder served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2017, the first to be elected to a third term since 1940. He is known for establishing the prolific Tour of Missouri bike race, the third highest-profile domestic race in the U.S. He also served in the Missouri Senate, ending his legislative career after a tenure as president pro tem. 

Ken Bateman, president and CEO of SoutheastHEALTH, said Kinder was selected for his wealth of experience and his time within the government, two vital aspects of the position. 

“I realize the importance of building strong relationships with focused strategy and how it can influence government policy, which is why I personally recruited Kinder for this position,” said Bateman. “He will play a key role in developing and maintaining relationships with legislators, regulators, and other policymakers to keep SoutheastHEALTH informed of changes to laws, regulations, enforcement, and spending priorities that could have a significant impact on our organization.”

SoutheastHEALTH is a multi-state network of health centers and facilities based in Kinder’s hometown of Cape Girardeau.