Sarasota Memorial CEO moves to Ascension Health

Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Health System President and CEO Gwen MacKenzie will depart next month after nearly a decade leading the public health system.

MacKenzie, 59, is stepping down from Sarasota Memorial to take an executive position with not-for-profit Catholic health system Ascension Health in her home state of Michigan. Beginning June 1, she will serve as senior vice president, Michigan market leader, with responsibilities for the administrative direction, strategy and operations of Ascension Health's five Michigan systems—Borgess Health in Kalamazoo Township, Genesys Health System in Grand Blanc, St. John Providence Health System in Detroit, St. Joseph Health System in Tawas City and St. Mary's of Michigan in Saginaw.

During MacKenzie's tenure, Sarasota Memorial experienced a financial turnaround that paved the way to open seven outpatient centers and undergo a $250 million campus-improvement project.

“Thanks to Gwen's outstanding leadership and vision, she is leaving Sarasota Memorial in an exceptionally strong position, from both a quality and financial perspective,” Marguerite Malone, chair of the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board, which governs the system, said in a news release. “We have an experienced board and a strong leadership team in place, ready to maintain and build upon the stable foundation Gwen has shaped.”

David Verinder, Sarasota Memorial's chief operating officer since 2010 and previous chief financial officer, will serve as interim CEO while a nationwide search is conducted for MacKenzie's successor.

Correction: An earlier version of this story reported the wrong location for Ascension Health's St. Joseph Health System in Tawas City.

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