The Tomah Health board of directors has announced the selection of a new hospital CEO.
Derek Daly will succeed hospital CEO Phil Stuart who is retiring after 50 years in health care, including 27 years at Tomah Memorial Hospital and Tomah Health.
“On behalf of the whole board, we want to thank the Search Committee and all those involved in the interview process,” hospital board chair Greg Gaarder said in a prepared statement. “The Search Committee reviewed the comments and ratings of each candidate made by committee members, medical staff, managers and board members. After significant discussion, the committee recommended to nominate Derek Daly, to the full board, as the next CEO of Tomah Health. This was a very thorough process and we had excellent candidates to choose from,” Gaarder wrote. Daly was one of three candidates interviewed for the position.
Daly has served the last five and a half years as CEO of Blue Mountain Hospital District including its 25-bed critical access hospital (CAH) in John Day, Oregon, a rural health clinic, long-term care facility, home health and hospice agency, and ambulance service. “I am thankful for the opportunity to join Tomah Health and work alongside all of the caregivers and team members across the organization and the Tomah health care community,” said Daly.
Before his position in Oregon, Daly served two and a half years as CEO for a Sanford Health managed facility, Liberty Medical Center (LMC) in Chester, Montana, where he had executive oversight for a 25-bed critical access hospital with on-site long-term care, a rural health clinic, and an assisted living facility. “For years, I have been aware of Tomah Health and its great reputation as a high-quality provider of health care services,” Daly said. “When first visiting in person earlier this spring, I was even more impressed with the organization, services, facility and most importantly, people, at Tomah Health,” Daly added.
Daly said he was “born a Badger” in Madison, Wisconsin, before later growing up in eastern South Dakota. He attended Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he received an undergraduate degree in Business Administration before obtaining his master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Iowa.
Like Stuart, Daly is an employee of HealthTechS3 – a health care consulting and hospital management firm based in Brentwood, Tennessee, with clients across the United States, including Tomah Health. “Tomah Health’s relationship with HealthTechS3, an organization I have had great familiarity, is also a major contributing factor to making this an intriguing professional opportunity,” Daly said.
“I am looking forward to officially starting in my role at Tomah Health sometime this summer and getting a chance to meet all of our internal caregivers, team members and community partners,” Daly said. “My wife, Nicole, and I are looking forward to relocating our young family to Tomah, getting involved in the community, and forming personal and professional relationships in the area.” The Daly’s have a 7-month-old son.
Stuart originally said that he would step down in June, adding that if the transition to a new CEO takes longer, he would be available to ensure a solid handoff.