The Highland District Hospital Board of Governors has announced Wednesday that Tim Parry, current chief operating officer and vice president of operations at Highland District Hospital, will succeed Randal Lennartz as president and chief executive officer of the organization upon the retirement of Lennartz on April 15, 2022.
Lennartz served the organization for 12 years, first as vice president of finance from 2010-16, then taking the president and chief executive officer role in May 2016. During his tenure Lennartz not only worked to secure the financial viability of the organization, but his leadership included foresight and a vision for growth that was essential to the stability of the organization, the hospital said in a news release.
As vice president of finance, Lennartz lobbied for legislative changes in rural health care, specifically the need for funding for rural obstetrics programs to remain in existence. Additionally, in that role he managed the much-needed renovation and expansion of the emergency department, updating and expanding the entire footprint, according to the news release.
While president and chief executive officer, Lennartz began building relationships with hospitals in Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati to ensure the most critical patients have a clear path for more advanced care. The expanded relationships with other hospitals fostered growth within the medical staff, securing much needed family and specialty care physicians and providers for the community, the news release said.
“As president and chief executive officer of Highland District Hospital, Randy focused on providing excellent health care to the people of Highland County. I have admired his ability to turn challenges into successes. He is responsible for significant growth and accomplishments throughout the hospital, including the recruitment of many new providers. He has truly made a difference during his twelve years at HDH,” HDH Board of Governors President Barbara Yochum said.
Lennartz was integral in the expansion of care through the establishment of Highland Health Providers, a federally qualified health center comprised of seven offices that provide primary and specialty care to Highland County communities. Additionally, services expanded at HDH for obstetrics, gastroenterology, pain management, intensive outpatient psychiatric care, inpatient extended care, and orthopedics, all under his supervision.
In 2019, Lennartz, working in conjunction with the HDH Leadership Team and board of governors, began updating the current campus with Building Expansion Project 2020, which led to a $25 million investment in the current facilities.
Under Lennartz’s guidance and together with the HDH medical staff, the hospital became a full teaching hospital of rural medicine, welcoming physician learners to the organization from The Wright Center, the news release said.
Lennartz and his wife, Elaine, reside in Highland County and look forward to retirement locally. They enjoy time at Rocky Fork Lake and being with their children, grandchildren and extended family.
As Lennartz exits health care, he reflected on his tenure, accrediting success to the employees.
“Our employees are the hands and feet of our mission. Their dedication to this organization and to each person they serve is unwavering,” he said. “I am so proud that our deeply rooted culture has fostered such a mentality and am encouraged to see new faces joining our team. I rest in the fact that those newcomers are in great hands. Our organization is in great hands. That assurance is my greatest achievement.”
Lennartz also attributed a large part of the organization’s accomplishments to the growth and contributions from the operations team, led by 16-year veteran employee Tim Parry, a third generation and lifelong resident of Highland County.
Parry received his bachelor of science degree in nursing at Wright State University, his master of business administration degree from Thomas More University, and worked as a nurse prior to employment at Highland District Hospital. In 2006, he joined HDH as the director of performance improvement/corporate compliance, which led to his service as vice president of nursing from 2008-15. Since 2015, he has served as the chief operating officer and vice president of operations, until being named the incoming president and chief executive officer.
“It is with both excitement and humility that I accept the position of president and chief executive officer of Highland District Hospital, an organization that I have dedicated my professional career to,” Parry said. “Alongside our excellent medical staff and caring employees, I am focused on fulfilling the mission of our hospital where every decision is patient centered and our driving purpose is meeting the health care needs of our community. The heartbeat of it all is the positive work culture I am fortunate to share with the most dedicated team.”
Parry and his wife, Melanie, along with their children, live in Hillsboro. Parry enjoys spending time with family, hunting and working on their family cattle farm.
“Our independent, critical access hospital is doing big things, all of which would not be possible without a supportive community,” Parry said. “Every day our medical staff, employees and volunteers are taking care of our own family members, our neighbors, our friends, one another. I’m very proud of the work we are doing and am committed to ensuring the highest level of health care remains available to our community for many years to come.”
Submitted by Ashlee Cheesbro, marketing manager, Highland District Hospital.
