TEXARKANA, Ark. -- LifeNet Inc. recently named Dave Snavely as its new chief executive officer.
Snavely began his emergency medical services career in the 1980s as an EMT in Austin and has held a wide variety of positions across the nation over the last four decades, according to a news release. He started as CEO with LifeNet on Aug. 1.
He replaces David Baumgardner, who retired after holding the position for about 24 years.
"During my last semester of college working on a degree in business and accounting, I took an EMT class. At the time, I was working as an accountant and volunteering for a heavy rescue squad. I started doing part-time work for a local ambulance service and enjoyed it, so I decided to explore EMS as a career," Snavely said.
His first full-time career in EMS took him to Austin. During his two-year tenure there, Snavely obtained his paramedic certification.
Snavely has worked with LifeNet in the past as a director of operations, director of finance and general manager. He started with the company in 1998.
He has worked in EMS at numerous locations including Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Billings, Montana; and Independence, Missouri.
Baumgardner called Snavely and asked him to work for him as the director of operations in Texarkana in November 1998, Snavely said.
Two years later, the director of finance position opened at LifeNet, and Snavely was asked to step into that role.
When LifeNet began expanding outside of the Texarkana region in 2005, Snavely was asked to serve as general manager for new operations in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
In 2009, the director of finance position reopened in Texarkana, and he came back to that role.
In 2016, Snavely left LifeNet to work with Lifeguard Ambulance in a business development role competing to buy ground services and integrate them with the company's air program. When the company was acquired by a larger ambulance service, Snavely decided to look for another career option.
"In November 2018, I came back as director of strategic operations for LifeNet. I did various projects including start-ups, finance and recruitment and retention. When the director of finance left, I resumed that role at LifeNet until January of 2021, when Harris County ESD11 offered me a position north of Houston. That position allowed me to move closer to my family," Snavely said.
In July 2022, Snavely learned about the CEO position at LifeNet.
"I decided this would be a very nice capstone in my career," he said.
The LifeNet selection committee ultimately decided Snavely met all the requirements and desired qualifications for the position.
"Dave Snavely, without a doubt, checked all of the boxes considered by the committee," said Buddy Allen, LifeNet board chair. "Snavely received a unanimous vote of confidence and acceptance from the LifeNet Board. The LifeNet Team, the Board, and I are pleased to have Dave as our new CEO and are excited about LifeNet's future under his leadership."