Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro each said they will continue to work with Summa and whoever is hired as its next chief executive to ensure the health care system remains strong and vibrant. They called Summa an anchor in the community.
The two also both offered well wishes to Summa’s outgoing chief executive officer, Dr. Thomas Malone, who resigned Thursday after two years on the job.
“Summa Health Systems is a key strategic partner in the economic growth and well-being of our community,” Horrigan said. “Summa has experienced pronounced growth and delivered encouraging results during Dr. Malone’s tenure. At times, leaders are called upon to make difficult decisions, and those decisions are not always popular. Dr. Malone took the steps he deemed necessary to put Summa on a path to continuing independence and financial strength. I wish Tom well in his future endeavors and thank him for his service to our community.”
The mayor noted that Summa last year committed to invest $350 million in the Akron area over the next 10 years, including a six-story, 300,000-square-foot expansion in downtown Akron.
“I expect that this commitment to Akron will continue and I look forward to working with Summa to create new jobs and improve the overall health of our residents,” Horrigan said. “I will be available to the board through this process to help ensure a smooth transition as a new leader is chosen for this important community anchor.”
County Executive Shapiro said she intends to focus her work and her office’s work on continuing to strengthen Summa.
“Summa is an important asset that provides high-quality medical care to our residents and employs several thousand people in our region,” Shapiro said. “I look forward to working with our partners to ensure Summa’s long-term viability and sustainability.”
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ.