Premier Health names new Miami Valley Hospital CEO, makes other top leader changes

Premier Health announced today several changes in executive leadership that will take place at the beginning of 2014 including the new chief executive officer of Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton’s largest hospital.

Mark Shaker, currently senior vice president of service integration for Premier, will become president and CEO of Miami Valley Hospital in downtown Dayton. Shaker has been with the health system for 28 years. Prior to his current position, Shaker has held previous roles as president and CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, vice president of strategic improvement at Miami Valley Hospital, and President and CEO of Fidelity Health Care, according to Premier Health.

It was announced in September that Bobbie Gerhart, president and CEO of Miami Valley Hospital, is retiring at the end of the year. Gerhart has been CEO of Miami Valley since 2011.

Shaker “will be leading one of the largest hospitals in the country, bringing a wide array of experience and a demonstrated commitment to working closely with physicians and staff to achieve our mission to build healthier communities,” Jim Pancoast, president and chief executive of Premier Health, said in a statement with Wednesday’s announcement.

Also, Tom Parker, currently president and CEO of Upper Valley Medical Center, the Premier Health hospital in Miami County, becomes system vice president of service lines for the network. Parker began at Upper Valley Medical Center as the administrator of Behavioral Health Services in 1992. Since then, he has also held the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer, and senior vice president for operations for Upper Valley, according to Premier Health.

Taking Parker’s place is Becky Rice, who Premier named as the next president and chief executive officer of Upper Valley. Rice is currently vice president of operations at Upper Valley Medical Center.

“We wish Bobbie well in her retirement and are delighted to have Mark, Tom and Becky step into their new roles to take us well into the future,” said Dan Sadlier, chair of the Premier Health Board of Trustees, in a statement.

Premier Health is the Dayton metro’s second-largest employer behind Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with more than 14,000 employees. The nonprofit organization operates four hospitals — Middletown’s Atrium Medical Center, Miami Valley Hospital downtown including Miami Valley South in Centerville, Dayton’s Good Samaritan Hospital and Upper Valley Medical Center in Miami County, as well as outpatient locations and doctor practices throughout the region. It operates in seven counties.