A woman with Campbell River roots will take over as St. Joseph’s General Hospital’s new president and CEO in September.The Bishop of Victoria and the board of St Joseph’s General Hospital announced Monday that Jane Murphy has been appointed to the position of president and CEO, effective Sept. 1.Murphy is replacing Michael Pontus, who will retire this Friday after 21 years of service at the hospital.Murphy started her career as a nurse, and she holds a masters degree in Health Services Planning and Administration from UBC.”She brings a wealth of experience,” said Ron Philip, chair of the St. Joseph’s board of directors.Philip says the process for finding a new CEO was an extensive one. It started with a selection committee comprised of the St. Joseph’s board of directors, a representative from the Diocese of Victoria and the Vancouver Island Health Authority board chair. A consulting firm helped identify possible candidates, and the candidates who were shortlisted were interviewed by the hospital’s medical advisory committee and by senior staff, he explained.”It takes a little longer sometimes, but I think it’s really helped pick the right candidate,” he said. “I think it was pretty well unanimous. I think the process was very sound, and we’re happy with that. Everyone got a chance to meet the candidate face to face.”Murphy has worked extensively in the B.C. health system in senior leadership positions, including chief operating officer/vice-president of clinical services at Langley Memorial Hospital and vice-president of Strategic Initiatives with the South Fraser Health Region.More recently, Murphy has spent some years in Texas and has held senior leadership roles at both the Driscoll Children’s Hospital and the CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi, Tex. “Murphy was raised in Campbell River and has a long-term commitment and connection to Vancouver Island,” stated a news release from St. Joseph’s. “She is delighted to be returning to the Island and is excited to be able to return to B.C. health care in this challenging leadership opportunity.”In accordance with the management agreement between Glacier View Lodge and St. Joseph’s, Murphy will be appointed as the new CEO for Glacier View Lodge. She will also join the board of the Cumberland Regional Hospital Laundry Society as secretary treasurer.In her role as president and CEO of St. Joseph’s, Murphy will also assume national and provincial membership on the boards of the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada and the Denominational Health Association of B.C.Jill Ambler, St. Joseph’s vice-president of patient services, has been appointed acting president and CEO for the first two weeks of August, while Eric Macdonald, the vice-president of finance, capital and support services, will hold that position for the second two weeks, according to Philip.writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com

Comox Valley Record