Ruth Colby, left, and Silver Cross Hospital, right.
Ruth Colby, president and CEO of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, died at age 69 from complications following a surgery, the hospital said in a statement.
Colby passed away Sunday at an undisclosed Chicago academic medical center. She had been CEO of Silver Cross for six years.
Download Modern Healthcare’s app to stay informed when industry news breaks.
Michael Mutterer, currently senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, will replace Colby on an interim basis, Silver Cross said. Mutterer joined Silver Cross in April 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Colby became CEO in October 2017 after serving as senior vice president and chief strategy officer for 12 years. During her CEO tenure at Silver Cross, the independent nonprofit hospital earned national recognition for safety, quality and experience, with a five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and 17 straight A’s for safety from the Leapfrog Group.
Colby, who was named to Crain’s latest Notable Leaders in Health Care list, also oversaw Silver Cross’ opening of Will County’s first and only Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit in 2022 and introduced an open-heart surgery program in 2019.
She was also active in the broader healthcare industry. Colby was the chair-elect of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association and was slated to become chair in 2024. She also had recently been appointed to the American Hospital Association’s Regional Planning Board for Region 5.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and leader, Ruth Colby,” Jean Kenol, chairman of the Silver Cross board of directors, said in a statement. “Ruth was a true servant leader and a driving force in transforming Silver Cross from a community hospital to a regional medical center and nationally recognized healthcare brand. She was an inspiration to us all, was beloved by our hospital community and she loved them passionately in return. We will miss her terribly.”
Silver Cross has 348 beds and more than 4,500 employees.
Send us a letter
Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.
