Pioneers CEO resigns after board meeting

MEEKER I Not only is Pioneers Medical Center seeking two new doctors, it will be looking for a new CEO.
Bob Omer, chief executive officer for Pioneers, resigned “to pursue other opportunities in health care management,” according to a news release issued Friday by the hospital.
The announcement came a day after a meeting of the hospital’s board of directors.
“The board is so appreciative of Bob’s leadership and hard work at our hospital,” board chairwoman Kris Borchard said in a statement. “He has been an asset to us as well as to our community. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
Omer’s resignation is effective Feb. 28.
“My main priority will be to continue to work on physician recruitment,” Omer said of his final month as CEO at Pioneers. The hospital has two vacancies on its physician staff after the departures of Drs. Victor Mihal and Branch Bullard in 2009.
In addition to being CEO at Pioneers, Omer serves on the Meeker Town Board of Trustees, a position he will continue to hold as long as he remains in town. He has two years left on a four-year term.
“As long as he’s in town, he can stay in the council seat,” said Town Administrator Sharon Day, who expressed surprise at Omer’s resignation from Pioneers.
As did his counterpart, Nick Goshe, CEO at Rangely District Hospital.
“He called me Friday. I haven’t talked to him yet, but he left me a message. Yes, I was very surprised,” Goshe said. “He wasn’t sure if he was staying in Meeker or not.”
Asked about the discussion at last week’s hospital meeting, Omer didn’t elaborate other than to say, “The decision points were all considered at the regular board meeting … it’s time for me to look for new opportunities and for the hospital to search for a new CEO.”
Omer’s employment at Pioneers was through Quorum Health Resources (QHR), a hospital management company, which will conduct a search for his replacement.
No timeframe has been given for the search.
“QHR provides immediate interim resources to minimize disruption within the hospital while allowing the board time to choose a CEO that can meet our needs, and fill the significant role Bob Omer has played in the hospital and in our community,” said board chairwoman Borchard.
Omer’s wife, Deb, is a second-grade teacher at Meeker Elementary School.
“Right now, our hope is to stay in the community,” Omer said, adding his wife will continue teaching at least through the school year. “We’ve really enjoyed Meeker and the people here a great deal. It would be hard to find a better community to live in.”
Omer spent six years as CEO at Pioneers.
Dr. Albert Krueger, chief of staff at Pioneers, said of Omer, “(He) has a long list of accomplishments during his tenure at Pioneers. Foremost is his central role in the formation of the Eastern Rio Blanco Health Service District … another critical accomplishment is the conversion to the critical access status. Both changes will assure the long-term economic stability of Pioneers.
“Other important improvements under his leadership have been the upgrade of the information technology system, establishment of a new facility master plan, a new CT scanner and ultrasound system, improvement of resident comfort and safety at Walbridge Wing and, recently, the renovation and restructure of the clinic reception area and patient registration area,” Krueger added.
Asked about his future plans, Omer said, “I don’t know at this point, but I’m exploring some opportunities that would keep us here in the community. If that were to work out, that’s what we’d like to do, from a family point of view. … But if another good opportunity in health care management presented itself, we’d take a look at what could be a new professional challenge and what’s best for our family.”