Catholic Health East: Latest News

Mary LaRowe Named President and Chief Executive Officer of St. James Mercy Health System, a Member of Catholic Health East

October 16, 2006

Mary E. LaRowe

Catholic Health East is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary E. LaRowe to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer for St. James Mercy Health System, Hornell, New York, effective January 1, 2007.

LaRowe brings over 20 years of progressive and diverse experience in all aspects of health care to St. James Mercy and to Catholic Health East. Since December 2004, she has served as President for the Western New York Healthcare Association and Executive Vice President for Healthcare Association of New York State, where her responsibilities included developing strategic alliances, proactively addressing excess capacity in hospitals and nursing homes, and patient safety and emergency preparedness issues.

Prior her hospital association role, LaRowe was president and CEO of Westfield Memorial Hospital, a 32 bed primary care hospital in Westfield, New York. Before that, she held management positions at other New York hospitals including United Memorial Medical Center, Batavia, and Genesee Memorial Hospital, Batavia, and was employed by the New York State Department of Health Office of Health Systems Management.

"In an era of increasing complexity and challenge for health care organizations, it is essential to have an accomplished, experienced leader at the helm," said Robert V. Stanek, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Health East. "I believe that Mary LaRowe is the right person at the right time for St. James Mercy Health System. Her experience with the hospital association, coupled with her prior hospital leadership positions, make her an excellent choice for this organization. All of us at Catholic Health East look forward to Mary's contributions at the local as well as the System level, as we all work together to be transforming, healing presences in the communities we are privileged to serve."

LaRowe earned her undergraduate degree from D'Youville College in Buffalo, New York, and her master's degree in Business Administration from State University of New York at Buffalo. She succeeds Ted LaLiberty, the former St. James Mercy CEO who became President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Francis Hospital (Wilmington, Delaware) earlier this year.

Stanek also thanked Pam Urban, who has been serving as Interim CEO. "I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude and thanks to Pam Urban, who has skillfully served as interim CEO at St. James Mercy during this transitional time period," said Stanek. "Pam has provided excellent leadership for St. James Mercy as we searched for a permanent CEO; she has served the hospital and CHE well and we are ever grateful for her dedication, energy, and commitment."

St. James Mercy Health System is a member of Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional Catholic health system serving communities through regional healthcare systems in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

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