Dan McKay will leave the top post at Northwest Health System in August to lead Sparks Health System in Fort Smith.
Nashville-based Community Health Systems owns Northwest and purchased Sparks in January.
AT A GLANCCE
Dan McKay’s Resume
w CEO of Sparks Health System
w CEO of Northwest Health System
w Vice president of operations for Community Health Systems’ Division IV
w Two years with Quorum Health Resources, a subsidiary of Community Health, as vice president of eastern operations
w Vice president for Division II for the Community Health Systems in 2006 following 13 years in management with the company
w Awarded CEO of the Year twice: 1997 at Moberly (Mo.) Regional Medical Center and 2002 at Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster S.C.
w Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky; master’s of health administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati
Source: Staff Report
McKay said Community Health Systems approached him about the position in Fort Smith, and he is making the move with mixed emotions.
"I care a lot about Northwest Health and invested a lot of time and personal feelings here," he said. "What I know about Sparks is that it has a very good name and reputation and think it will be a bright opportunity."
Northwest Health System operates Northwest Medical Centers in Springdale and Bentonville, Willow Creek Womens Hospital in Johnson and 40 clinics in Northwest Arkansas.
Sparks Health System includes Sparks Regional Medical Center, Sparks Clinic, Sparks PremierCare and the Marvin Altman Fitness Center in Fort Smith and Summit Medical Center in Van Buren.
Northwest Health System is searching for a new chief executive officer, said Pat Driscoll, Northwest Health System spokesman. She said there is no official time line.
McKay became CEO of Northwest Health System in April 2010. He also spent about five months as Northwest's interim CEO in 2008.
He points to construction of a new entrance and an expanded emergency room in the Springdale hospital as a highlight of his four years at Northwest's helm.
"It's been in the works for 20 years, and I was fortunate to get it done under my watch," he said.
Northwest also expanded its cardiac services, going from one to five cardiologists, and added 20 clinics with McKay at the forefront.
"It's hard leaving all the relationships I've built in my four-plus years," he said.
McKay said building strong relationships and trust with the Sparks medical staff is an early goal in his new post.
Sparks Health System's CEO position has been a revolving door the past 15 months. McKay will be Sparks' sixth chief executive in that time.
The Sparks CEO shuffle began in March 2013 when Gary Blan replaced Melody Trimble who had served as chief executive since 2009. Blan resigned two months later and was replaced by Charles Stewart in September.
Stewart resigned and Tim Schmidt led the system from mid-March until early May. Jeremy Drinkwitz, Sparks' chief operating officer, is serving as interim CEO until McKay begins.
"Dan has a track record of proven success and stability at Northwest," Hugh Maurras, chairman of Sparks Health System's board of trustees, said in a news release. "He brings proven leadership skills and a familiarity with our region to the role of CEO."
Business on 07/01/2014