Grand Island, Neb. — Ed Hannon has been named the new president for CHI Health St. Francis. He will begin his new duties on May 23.
Hannon comes to St. Francis from Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler, Missouri, where he has been president and CEO since 2013. With more than 20 years of experience in health care leadership, Hannon has led not-for-profit hospitals in rural communities in Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Joan Neuhaus, chief operating officer for CHI Health, said Hannon has a proven track record and has been passionate about business development, physician relations and community partnerships.
“Ed was the unanimous choice of the search committee as well as both the senior leadership and medical executive committees who provided input in the decision,” Neuhaus said. “He is a dynamic leader and I am confident he will forge successful relationships with the St. Francis staff, physicians and community members as well as leaders throughout CHI Health. In an ever-changing healthcare environment, Ed understands the need to deliver service and value to our communities in innovative ways. I feel strongly that Ed is the right person to lead St. Francis and I’m excited for the future.”
Hannon, 58, said he’s eager to get started at St. Francis.
“I want to stand on the shoulders of the people who have made St. Francis a success for the past 130 years,” Hannon said. “With health care going through such transformation, we have to be forward-looking and forward-thinking about the way we deliver care. We live in a rural area and I want to see how we can partner with physicians and hospitals in other communities to help them deliver services locally, using technology.”
Throughout his career, Hannon said he’s always sought out positions where he felt he could make a difference.
“People who go into health care want to make a difference, whether it’s for patients — or in my case — in how health care is delivered,” Hannon said. “I want to make a difference by building relationships with physicians and partners in the region.”
After serving in the U.S. Navy and the Navy Reserves, Hannon earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management from Southern Illinois University and a Masters in Health Services Administration from the New School of Social Research in New York. He and his wife Karen have five adult children and six grandchildren.
Hannon will replace Dan McElligott, who resigned as St. Francis president last November to pursue other interests. Mike Schnieders, who is president of CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, has served as St. Francis’ interim president since McElligott’s departure.
About CHI Health St. Francis
CHI Health St. Francis is a non-profit faith-based hospital serving Central Nebraska with state-of-the-art healthcare services. The St. Francis tower has 159 acute-care patient rooms, including the Family Birthing Center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit and a 10-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit. St. Francis also operates a Cancer Treatment Center in Grand Island and Hastings, a Skilled Care Unit and an Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center.
About CHI Health
CHI Health is a regional health network with a unified mission: nurturing the healing ministry of the Church while creating healthier communities. Headquartered in Omaha, the combined organization consists of 15 hospitals, two stand-alone behavioral health facilities and more than 150 employed physician practice locations in Nebraska and southwestern Iowa. More than 14,000 employees comprise the workforce of this network that includes 2,820 licensed beds and serves as the primary teaching partner of Creighton University’s health sciences schools. In fiscal year 2015, the organization provided a combined $172.1 million in quantified community benefit including services for the poor, free clinics, education and research. With locations stretching from Kearney, Neb. to Missouri Valley, Iowa, the health network is the largest in Nebraska and serves residents of Nebraska, southwest Iowa and northern Kansas. For more information, visit online at CHIhealth.com and CHINebraska.org.
About Catholic Health Initiatives
St. Francis is part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), a national nonprofit health system based in Englewood, Colorado. The faith-based system operates in 18 states and includes 103 hospitals, as well as long-term care, assisted- and residential living communities; community health services organizations; home health agencies and outpatient facilities and services. In fiscal year 2016, CHI provided more than $1.1 billion in financial assistance and community benefit. CHI generated operating revenues of $15.9 billion and has total assets of approximately $22.7 billion.