Corporate News and Events

Trinity Health CEO Judy Pelham Announces Retirement

NOVI, MI (March 18, 2004) – Trinity Health announced today that its President and CEO, Judy Pelham, will retire later this year. She will remain at Trinity Health at least through the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and remain as long as necessary to allow for a smooth transition to a successor.

Commenting on her decision, Pelham said, “When we formed Trinity Health in 2000, I committed to see us through the integration of the merger, the development of a sound Trinity Health system of values and corporate culture in pursuit of our mission, and the successful development of our new health care system. The successful implementation of our first three year strategic plan was the proof of our new value proposition: to add value to our member organizations in a new way, to be leaders in improving quality and safety in a mission-driven organization, to be a vehicle for the future of the Catholic health ministry and to transform health care for the 21st century.”

Responding to the decision, William Kreykes, Chair of the Trinity Health Board of Directors, said, “This is deeply regretted by the board as Judy has provided outstanding leadership to Trinity Health since its inception in May 2000 and we hoped she would continue to do so for several more years. The clinical, financial and operational performance of Trinity Health has been very strong under Judy’s leadership and continues to be so. Every year has resulted in improvement over the previous year. Even though her presence will be truly missed, she is supported by a very talented and competent management team and the forecast for our future continues to be positive.”

Pelham said of this decision, “I have sincerely loved this job and the people with whom I have been privileged to serve. To be honored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross and the Sisters of Mercy to launch Trinity Health as the inaugural CEO, and to have guided us to the successful end of our first three-year strategic plan, has been the capstone of my career. Now, I am ready to move on to the next stage of my life, to spend more time with my husband and with interests which have been deferred while being professionally active and raising a family.”

Pelham has been President and CEO of Trinity Health since its inception in May 2000. Trinity Health was created through the merger of the Holy Cross Health System and Mercy Health Services. Pelham was President and CEO of Mercy Health Services from 1993 until she took the helm of Trinity Health. Since the founding of Trinity Health, Pelham has led the $5.0 billion system in improving quality of patient care and safety, with the expressed goal of creating the health system of the 21st century. In doing so, Pelham has focused on advancing the member hospitals into the age of integrated information management. As the leader of one of the largest and well-respected health systems in the United States, Pelham has actively led Trinity Health's focus on clinical excellence, workforce development, strengthening mission fulfillment and advancing and supporting industry-leading innovation. The National Committee for Quality Health Care will present Trinity Health with its prestigious 2004 National Quality Health Care Award on March 24th.

Pelham serves on a wide variety of national and regional boards, including Amgen, Catholic CEO Healthcare Connection, and Healthcare Research & Development Institute. Formerly, Pelham was president of the Daughters of Charity Health Services of Austin and Seton Medical Center, also in Austin, Texas, and assistant vice president of The Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.