BayCare Medical Group Announces Garrick Richards as New Chief Operating Officer

BayCare Medical Group (BMG) has named Garrick “Gary” Richards as its new chief operating officer (COO), effective Feb.19. 

Richards joins BMG from Banner Medical Group in Phoenix, Arizona. Formerly its chief operating officer since 2018, Richards has vast leadership experience with large, integrated health systems. In his five years with Banner Medical Group, Richards led operations for more than 1,600 providers and 2,700 associates, providers and clinicians across a six-state service area. 

Before becoming Banner Medical Group's COO in 2022, Richards also led its practice advancement operations as its executive director from 2021 – January 2023 and was Banner Medical Group's senior director of practice advancement from 2019 - 2021. Richards' career as a health care executive also includes extensive ambulatory experience, serving as OhioHealth’s vice president of development and ambulatory medical campus operations from 2016 – 2017, its regional director of ambulatory planning and capital development from 2014 – 2016 and its capital development director from 2008 – 2014.

“I am thrilled and honored to join BayCare and BayCare Medical Group with its exceptional national reputation of clinical excellence, high-quality care, culture and improving the health of communities served,” Richards said. “Through the collective hearts and minds of physicians, advanced practice providers, clinicians, team members and leaders, BayCare will continue to make a difference in people’s lives and provide exceptional health care services to our communities.” 

Richards earned his Master of Business Administration from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, along with his Bachelor of Science in education from The Ohio State University. He is also credentialed as an FACHE (Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives). 

BayCare Medical Group is Tampa Bay’s leading multi-specialty group providing primary and specialty care throughout five counties in the Tampa Bay and West Central Florida regions.