When Methodist Celina Medical Center opened its doors March 2025, it marked more than the arrival of a new hospital. It signaled a promise that Celina would no longer have to leave home for high-quality, compassionate healthcare. For President Cody Hunter, the milestone is both professional and deeply personal.
Hunter was named the hospital’s first president in December 2023, when the building was only steel beams and construction trailers. By July 2024, he and his wife Cara had moved their family to Celina, choosing not just to lead here but to live here.
“For us, being part of the community we serve is very important,” Hunter says.
The Hunters have two children at Bothwell Elementary, a fourth grader and a kindergartner, who keep them busy with club soccer and gymnastics. When they’re not at school events or Bobcat games, you’ll likely find them on the Square for Cajun Fest or Christmas on the Square, grabbing lunch downtown, or spending time at Old Celina Park.
That local involvement extends beyond family life. Hunter serves as president of the Celina Education Foundation, sits on the Celina Economic Development Corporation board, participates in the district’s School Health Advisory Council and supports paramedic training through a regional consortium. For him, investing in Celina isn’t optional — it’s foundational.
That same mindset shaped the hospital’s first year. When asked what he’s most proud of, Hunter doesn’t hesitate.
“We talk a lot about our ‘why,’” he says. “And for us, it’s those ‘we got you’ moments.”
Before the hospital opened, emergency ambulances often drove an additional 20 to 25 minutes to reach facilities in surrounding cities. In cases like heart attacks, strokes or traumatic injuries, those minutes matter. Now, families in Celina have immediate access to emergency care close to home.
“Being able to change the direction of someone’s life in those critical moments; that’s what we’re here for,” Hunter says.
But the hospital is also celebrating life’s highest highs. This year, Methodist Celina began delivering babies — officially stamping “Celina, Texas” on birth certificates for the first time in a hospital setting. The team recently welcomed its seventh baby and expects that number to grow significantly as additional OB/GYN physicians join the practice.
“It’s incredibly special,” Hunter says. “Families don’t have to leave town to welcome their babies into the world.”
Community response, he adds, has been overwhelmingly supportive. Patient feedback scores place the hospital at or above the top 10 percent nationally which is a remarkable achievement for a first-year facility.
“That tells us we focused on the right things: our people, our processes and our culture,” he says.
Hunter often uses two words to describe that culture: intentional and exceptional. As Celina grows and demographics evolve, he believes the hospital’s commitment to culturally competent, compassionate care will remain central.
Beyond its walls, the hospital partners with Celina ISD for student physicals and works through Faith Community Nursing initiatives to bring health education, screenings and resources directly into local churches and community spaces. More public education events and wellness programs are planned in the coming year.
While staff will celebrate the anniversary internally, honoring both day and night shift teams who keep the hospital running 24/7, Hunter believes the real milestone is something less visible but far more meaningful: trust.
As a faith-based hospital, Methodist Celina Medical Center was founded on the belief that healthcare is more than medicine but is also ministry. That conviction traces back nearly a century within the Methodist Health System and continues to guide decisions in Celina today.
“At the end of the day, we’re here to serve,” Hunter says. “Every patient encounter is an opportunity to care for someone not just physically, but with compassion and dignity.”
At night, illuminated crosses glow from the top of the hospital, visible from El Dorado to Pilot Point. “I hope those lights are a beacon of hope,” he says. “They symbolize our commitment of anytime, any age, any condition, we’ve got you.”
For Hunter and his team, that promise is rooted in something deeper than strategy or growth plans. It is rooted in a calling to love their neighbors well, to serve with excellence, and to ensure that when families in Celina face life’s most urgent or most joyful moments, they do not face them alone. One year in, the foundation is strong, the mission is clear, and the light on the horizon shines brightly.
1500 S. Dallas Parkway, Celina, TX 75009
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"At the end of the day, we're here to serve," Hunter says. "Every patient encounter is an opportunity to care for someone not just physically, but with compassion and dignity."