Forum CEO ready to present his choice for executive VP

By William k. Alcorn

The final pick was re-interviewed Monday and has been introduced to the board’s executive committee.

YOUNGSTOWN — Forum Health’s new executive vice president and chief operating officer will live in the community and make a long-term commitment to the health care system, said Walter “Buzz” Pishkur, Forum Health chief executive officer.

This is not a criticism of chief operating officer Lowell Johnson, whose contract with Forum Health expires Jan. 31, Pishkur said. Johnson was hired a couple of years ago as interim chief operating officer as part of the team assembled to orchestrate the hospital system’s financial turnaround.

However, Pishkur said, as he ponders his first major hire: “I want to establish continuity of leadership and bench strength on the management team.”

Pishkur said Monday that he would present his candidate to the Forum Board of Trustees at its meeting that night. If approved, he said he expects the new chief operating officer to be on board in mid-January.

He said Forum hired a search team to find candidates, three of whom were interviewed. Pishkur said the final pick was re-interviewed Monday and has been introduced to the board’s executive committee, representatives of Forum’s unions and the medical staff’s executive committee.

On another subject, Pishkur said the hospital system’s lenders have pushed back dates by which Forum must submit a financial plan, from today to Jan. 7; and when hospital officials were to meet with lenders in New York City, Jan. 14 to Jan. 21.

Pishkur said he interprets the extra time granted by the lenders as a sign that they are pleased with what is going on with the financially troubled hospital system.

alcorn@vindy.com