FERRIDAY — Riverland Medical Center’s new administrator could be a familiar face for Miss-Lou patients — if he accepts the position.

Former Natchez Community Hospital CEO Donald R. “Donny” Rentfro will be offered the position of administrator for Riverland Medical Center by the board of commissioners.

The new hire will replace Lana Stamper, who turned in her resignation effective June 8, after two years at the hospital.

The contract was finalized at a specially called board meeting Friday afternoon, but has yet to be sent to Rentfro, said board Vice Chairman Fred Butcher.

“We’re a small rural hospital, and it definitely helps that he’s from the area,” Butcher said.

If the board’s offer is accepted, Butcher said he would like to have Rentfro in the hospital within the next 14 days to begin shadowing Stamper’s operations.

“You don’t want to have someone going into that position cold turkey,” Butcher said.

Five candidates applied for the position, but one withdrew and two others did not have the qualifications required by the state.

Qualifications for the administrator position include a master’s degree and at least three years of full-time experience in progressively responsible management positions in health care, a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of the same experience or at least 10 years of full-time experience in hospital administration.

Rentfro received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe in 1980 and 1990.

Rentfro spent 20 years working with business development and hospital operations in health care organizations across the Southeast.

Before being named Community’s CEO in January 2010, Rentfro worked as the CEO at River Medical Center in Jackson, Ky.

He resigned from Community in March after two years as CEO.

After receiving Rentfro’s acceptance, the board will ratify his contract at the next meeting later this month.