SC Hospital CEO Hester Resigns

By Ethan Jordan, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

Stephens County Hospital is under interim leadership after Chief Executive Officer Mike Hester resigned.

Hester’s last day was Tuesday, May 4.

In a press release, the hospital authority board named Ray Leadbetter as Interim CEO.

Leadbetter has been with the hospital since June of 2020, but has over twenty years of hospital administration experience.

The hospital also announced that Van Loskoski, who has been serving as Vice President of Physician Practices since April of 2019, will now be Interim Chief Operating Officer.

Hester said his decision to leave came as the result of an opportunity near Savannah that would allow him to live closer to his children.

“I have an opportunity that presented itself closer to home, where my kids are. But I think what’s so wonderful is that the opportunity presented itself and I feel comfortable that the hospital has really made quite a bit of progress the past two years and the next two years I think you’re going to see the best two years the hospital has had in a really long time. I wouldn’t leave if I felt like the hospital was in bad shape. The hospital is in a much better shape and is much better prepared for the future than it has been in many years, and that’s due to the hospital authority and its leadership and the great staff,” he said.

Hester said the hospital is in good hands under the leadership of Leadbetter and Van Loskoski.

“Ray came up here in June of last year and had done some consulting with us prior; you know, there’s no one better for financial leadership than Ray Leadbetter. And Van Loskoski came up with me when I came up. There’s a reason why I wanted Van to be there. He’s smart and gets things done. He’s done a tremendous job with community outreach and recruiting physicians and building physician practices. He’s just a great leader,” he said.

Hester says he’s thankful for the opportunity to work in Toccoa-Stephens County and be a part of the community for the past two years.

“It’s just been tremendous. I want to thank the Hospital Authority for bringing me up here. I’ve met a lot of great folks, not just leaders in the community, but just great people. I’ll miss so many people. We have a great staff. I just want to reiterate to the community that their hospital is very important, and I think they showed that during COVID. We need this community hospital. I just got a report that in 2019 the economic impact for local and regional from the hospital is $106 million a year, which is about $6 million more than the prior year,” he said.

Mark Wilkinson, Chairman of the Stephens County Board of Trustees thanked Hester for the exceptional job he was able to provide the Toccoa-Stephens County community and wished him well.

According to the release, the hospital leadership is excited for the growth that Stephens County Hospital has shown over the past few years and look forward to continuing the positive momentum of our healthcare system.