Michael Gentry will lead the Ohio health system effective July 3.
Dayton, Ohio-based Kettering Health chose its next CEO following a five-month search, the system announced Wednesday.
Michael Gentry, who has served as COO of Norfolk, Virginia-based Sentara Healthcare since 2016, will lead Kettering Health beginning on July 3.
"Through our in-depth search and interview process, I've come to learn that Michael possesses great leadership acumen, deep respect for the Kettering Health mission and team, a heart for the ministry of healthcare, and for the people and communities we are privileged to serve," Celeste R. Blyden, chair of the Kettering Health membership and board of directors, said in a statement.
Gentry succeeds Michael Mewhirter who has served as interim CEO on top of his duties as CFO for the system since November 2022, following the retirement of the system's previous permanent CEO, Fred Manchur.
Gentry's last day at Sentara Healthcare will be July 1, ending his 15-year tenure with the health system. He most recently led the operations of the system's 12 hospitals, Sentara Live Care Corporation, and Sentara Enterprises.
"Mike has been an invaluable member of our team, providing exceptional leadership with a focus on our consumers and quality care in our communities," Dennis Matheis, president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare said in a statement. "His contributions to our organization, the healthcare industry at large, and the commonwealth of Virginia have been numerous. We are grateful for his dedication and hard work during his time with us. He will be greatly missed."
Prior to joining Sentara in 2008, Gentry served as president and CEO of Memorial Health Systems in Ormond Beach, Florida from 2000 to 2008, and served as CEO of Park Ridge Hospital in Hendersonville, North Carolina from 1996 to 2000, according to his LinkedIn profile.
"It has been an honor to be a member of the Sentara team for the past 15 years and I send my sincere thanks for the opportunity to work with wonderful colleagues who share a common mission of improving health every day," Gentry said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Gentry said, "I am honored to have the opportunity to join the Kettering Health team, an organization with a long and rich tradition of blending innovative care and Christ-centered compassion to foster health, hope, and healing. I look forward to collaborating with the dedicated physicians and team members that work tirelessly to improve care for the people we serve."
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.
Photo credit: Kettering Health Main Campus (formerly Kettering Medical Center) is the flagship medical center for Kettering Health. Photo courtesy of Kettering Health.