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Rick
Wade

Former head of communications for the American Hospital Association

Richard Wade is a former senior executive at the American Hospital Association with 30 years of health system experience. Wade was a principal spokesman at the American Hospital Association until 2009.

In addition to serving as AHA’s chief communication strategist, he oversaw “Reality✓,” the association’s pioneering research into public perception. He also led its Community Connections initiative, which focused on helping members build stronger ties of trust with their communities.

Wade was named one of the top 50 corporate health care public relations executives in America by PRWeek in 2000 and was included on Modern Healthcare list of the “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare” in 2002. He served as vice president of communications at the Maryland Hospital Association from 1979 to 1991.