MemorialCare Long Beach (Calif.) Medical Center and MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach are making strategic changes in executive leadership months after CEO John Bishop and former COO Ike Mmeje unexpectedly announced their resignations.
Mr. Bishop and Mr. Mmeje announced their resignations in July. Mr. Bishop agreed to remain CEO of the hospitals pending the completion of a national search to identify his successor. Mr. Mmeje left the hospitals in August "to pursue other opportunities."
Now, the hospitals are promoting several leaders and implementing a new leadership structure "to align with [Fountain Valley, Calif.-based] MemorialCare's future strategic plans, including regional growth in pediatrics and advancing our position as the region's leader in healthcare," according to an Oct. 25 news release shared with Becker's.
Four things to know, according to the news release:
1. Yair Katz, CFO of Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's, was promoted to the newly created position of chief executive of Miller Children's & Women's and senior vice president of pediatrics for MemorialCare. He will remain CFO until a replacement has been namd.
2. Susan Herman, DNP, RN, has been promoted into the expanded leadership position of chief nursing executive for senior oversight of all patient care areas. She previously served as the chief nursing officer of Miller Children's & Women's.
3. Steve Cesca has been promoted to chief strategy officer for both Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's. Since 2018, he has served as vice president of business development with MemorialCare.
4. Helen Macfie, PharmD, remains acting COO of Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's, and Mr. Bishop continues as CEO amid the search for his replacement. MemorialCare said it expects to have a new CEO named and in place by early next year.