WGH selects new CEO
The Wilbarger General Hospital Board of Directors has taken the first step toward selecting a new chief executive officer. A motion was approved to hire Tom Siemers as CEO, replacing interim chief Peter Hofstetter beginning April 1. A follow-up vote will occur March 12, where the board will consider a technical correction to the initial motion and finalize the appointment.
Siemers is a skilled hospital administrator with more than three decades of experience leading acute care and Critical Access Hospitals across the country. Most recently, Siemers spent eight years as president and CEO of Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, North Carolina. While at Dosher, he spearheaded initiatives to develop a grant-funded Community Wellness Coalition, establish a transitional care program, increase revenue by $2 million and maintain the hospital’s status as the only independent Critical Access Hospital in the state.
Siemers has also served as CEO of Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa, Iowa, and Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, Massachusetts, as well as hospitals in Arkansas, Kentucky and Florida. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and an active member of several industry and civic organizations.
“Tom’s leadership capabilities, as well as his proven successes in hospital operations, funding and physician relations, set him apart during our search for a CEO,” said Wilbarger Board of Trustees Chairperson Melanie Milner, RN, MSN. “We are excited for Tom’s strategy and vision for our hospital and are pleased to welcome him to Vernon.”
Siemers was selected from a pool of candidates as part of a national search conducted by the hospital’s management partner, QHR.
“Everyone I have met at Wilbarger General Hospital has displayed a passion for the health of local residents, along with a Texas-sized amount of hospitality. I look forward to calling Vernon home,” said Siemers. “I am eager to begin working with the hospital’s board and leadership to serve the health care needs of this community.”