Nelson So has been announced as the chief operating officer of Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center, which is scheduled to open in fall 2026.
According to a press release from Wellstar, So has more than 25 years of leadership experience in different healthcare settings. He also has a record of leading startups, fostering collaboration and managing change, which the hospital system felt made him a good fit for the CSRA. So will report toRalph Turner, the president of Wellstar MCG Health and senior vice president for Wellstar, and will be responsible for all part of Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center.
So, retired Colonel with the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps, has lived in the CSRA since he was stationed at Fort Gordon as deputy commander for administration at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center. Other positions of his include commander of the 47th Combat Support Hospital at Joint Base Lewis McChord Washington state and commander of Wiesbaden Army Health Clinic in Wiesbaden, Germany. He has also served as chief of congressional affairs to two Army Surgeons General.
“I am so pleased to welcome Nelson So back to the Augusta area and into the Wellstar family. Nelson has extensive experience not only in leading healthcare organizations, but leading healthcare for our own military community. That makes him uniquely qualified to ensure our patients at Wellstar Columbia County receive the Wellstar standard of care,” Turner said.
So has an MBA and MPH from George Washington University, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).
