Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Bruyère Names New CEO
Ottawa, ON., July 4, 2012– The Bruyère Continuing Care board of directorsannounced today that health care administrator veteran Mr. Bernard (Bernie) Blais will become the new President and CEO for the organization.
“After a comprehensive national search, I'm confident we have the right person with the right skills and expertise to lead Bruyère,” states board chair, Sandra Graham. “Mr. Blais has extensive health care and government relations experience to ensure the needs of our patients are first and foremost. Bernie demonstrates exactly the characteristics we need in a leader as we head into a health care era which is exciting yet uncertain.”
“I'm very excited about the opportunity to lead Bruyère Continuing Care,” says Mr. Blais. “I look forward to collaborating with the board of directors, staff, physicians and volunteers and to continue positioning Bruyère as the champion of aging Canadians and those requiring continuing care.”
Born in Northern Ontario, Mr. Blais began his career in health care as a paramedic and held his first senior management role as a vice-president at the Ottawa General Hospital. He is currently the CEO of the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (NSM LHIN).Mr. Blais has served in a number of other senior roles across six of Canada's provinces and territories, including:
- CEO, Northern Lights Health Region in Northern Alberta
- Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of Nunavut
- CEO, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance in Southwestern Ontario;
- CEO, Surrey Memorial Hospital, a 656-bed facility in British Columbia
- Senior Assistant Deputy Minister Health Reform, Manitoba Health
- CEO, Victoria General Hospital, Winnipeg
Mr. Blais is fluently bilingual and completed his Masters Degree in Public Administration with Distinction at the University of Manitoba.
“I am delighted at the Board selection of Mr. Blais as its new CEO at a time when the Ontario health system is going to experience a major overhaul caused by the current financial situation and the new funding formula combined with the rapid aging of our population,” states interim president and CEO, Michel Bilodeau. “I know I leave our organization in good hands.”
Mr. Blais will join Bruyère Continuing Care as of September 4, 2012 at which point, Michel Bilodeau, who has been Bruyere's interim CEO since mid-March, will officially step down.
The board of directors and the Bruyère team want to sincerely thank Michel for his guidance, leadership and passion for our sector, our patients, residents and our employees and volunteers.
About Bruyère Continuing Care
Bruyère Continuing Care is the champion of well-being for aging Canadians and those requiring continuing care helping them become and remain as healthy and independent as possible through innovative and compassionate care, research, education and advocacy. Located in Ottawa, Bruyère Continuing Care provides complex continuing care, palliative care, rehabilitation, care of the elderly, long-term care, research and family medicine. One of the largest health care centres of its kind in Canada, Bruyère Continuing Care includes: Saint-Vincent Hospital, Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital,Élisabeth Bruyère Residence, Saint-Louis Residence, Bruyère Village, Bruyère Family Medicine Centre, Primrose Family Medicine Centre, Bruyère Research Instituteand Bruyère Foundation.
For further information, or to organize an interview, please contact: Andrea MacLean, communications manager, Bruyère Continuing Care, at 613-808-0202 or amaclean@bruyere.org
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