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Leadership Transition Comes to ValleyCare Health System
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- David J. Fikse, CEO of ValleyCare Health System of Ohio and Northside Medical Center, will leave at the end of the year to accept a position at Community Health Systems Professional Services Corp. in Franklin, Tenn., ValleyCare announced Monday afternoon.
Fikse has been CEO of the area ValleyCare system and Northside since Oct. 1, 2010, after they were acquired by Community Health Services in a bankruptcy auction of the assets of Forum Health Inc.: Northside Medical Center n Youngstown, Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland.
Succeeding Fikse in both roles will be Kirk Ray, who will take over as CEO of the ValleyCare system and Northside effective Dec. 3. Ray will work closely with Fikse and leadership at all ValleyCare hospitals throughout the next two months while transitioning into his new role, the company said.
“Dave has overseen a time of dramatic change for our hospitals and we thank him for his leadership,” said Sandy Kessler, chairman of the Northside Medical Center board of trustees.
During Fikse’s tenure, he has been part of re-naming the health system, assembling the individual hospital boards and recruiting numerous physicians to the organization, Kessler said. At Northside, Fikse has overseen the clinical enhancement and growth of the organization as it has become a Level III trauma center, certified chest pain center and made multiple capital improvements including new technology and hospital renovations, he noted.
Ray, a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., brings more than 22 years of experience in hospital leadership. He previously worked with a CHS-affiliated seven hospital system in Fort Wayne. Most recently, he served as the CEO at DeKalb Memorial Hospital in Auburn, Ind.
“ValleyCare Health System of Ohio is an excellent organization with a strong commitment to serving the community,” Ray said. “I am looking forward to working with the board of trustees, physicians, employees and volunteers to provide high quality healthcare and excellent experiences for our patients.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.