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Catholic Health East Announces Enhanced Responsibilities, Promotion of Two Executives

June 10, 2008

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – Catholic Health East (CHE) recently announced a reorganization of its administrative structure, resulting in an increase in responsibilities for two of its long-time leaders.

Judith M. Persichilli

Judith M. Persichilli, R.N., B.S.N., M.A., who has served as CHE’s executive vice president, Northeast Division since 2003, has recently assumed the position of executive vice president, acute care. In her expanded role, she is responsible for the administrative operations of CHE’s acute care facilities from a System perspective.

Persichilli is affiliated with various community agencies and is a member of several community boards, including the Healthcare Administration Board of the State of New Jersey by Gubernatorial appointment. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the New Jersey State Nurses Association. In 2006, she was inducted into the New Jersey State Nurses Association Hall of Honor. Prior to joining the CHE System Office, Persichilli served for many years as president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, N.J., a regional health corporation of Catholic Health East.

Alexander J. Hatala

Alexander J. Hatala, who joined Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center as Chief Operating Officer in 1986 and has served as president and chief executive officer of Lourdes Health System in Camden, N.J. since 1991, will assume the position of president and CEO of CHE/New Jersey – a newly-formed entity which includes Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center (Camden), Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County (Willingboro) and St. Francis Medical Center (Trenton) and will soon include Saint Michael’s Medical Center (Newark). Hatala will remain president and CEO of Lourdes, and Gerard J. Jablonowski will continue as the president and CEO of St. Francis.

Hatala is a vice chairman of the board of the New Jersey Hospital Association, and a member of the American Hospital Association, the New Jersey Conference of Catholic Health Care Facilities and the Greater Camden Partnership. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

“This reorganization will enhance our ability to operate as efficiently as possible as a System. It is consistent with our commitment to leadership development, as well as our ongoing commitment to those communities we serve in New Jersey,” says CHE President and CEO, Robert V. Stanek. “Both Judy and Alex are highly-regarded leaders with a great commitment and dedication to Catholic Health East, our Mission and Core Values.”

Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional Catholic health system co-sponsored by 10 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, is based in Newtown Square, Pa. Catholic Health East provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the Sponsors’ health ministries, which are located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida. The system includes 33 acute-care hospitals, four long-term acute-care hospitals, 36 freestanding and hospital-based long-term care facilities, 12 assisted-living facilities, five continuing-care retirement communities, seven behavioral-health and rehabilitation facilities, 25 home health/hospice agencies and numerous ambulatory and community-based health services. More information is available on the CHE website at www.che.org.

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