Kenneth Morris, MBA was appointed today as the new President and CEO of Brooks-TLC Hospital in Dunkirk. He is taking over from Mary LaRowe who announced her retirement effective August 1.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Ken the past four years since he joined Brooks-TLC,” said Chris Lanski, Board Chair of Brooks-TLC Hospital. “Ken has been involved with every department and every aspect of the hospital’s opera
tion the past four years. I, along with the rest of the Board, are confident Ken will be an excellent leader for the hospital and the entire organization.”
Morris joined Brooks-TLC in 2018 as vice president of operations. Prior to joining Brooks-TLC, Morris spent time as the director of North Texas Division of Neuroscience and Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Healthcare System in Dallas, Texas.
LaRowe, announced her retirement from the organization effective August 1, 2022, capping a 36-year career in healthcare.
“My retirement is something that has been planned for several months, maybe even the past year,” said LaRowe. “I was originally going to retire back in January, but I decided to stay on during the search for the new CEO of Upper Allegheny. Now I feel the time is right for me to retire. I would like to thank all my colleagues at Brooks-TLC and the thousands of co-workers I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years for their dedication and support.
LaRowe became the President & CEO of Brooks-TLC in the spring of 2016 and also spent the much of 2021 as the interim CEO of Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS).
“Over the last six years Mary has worked tirelessly for the betterment of Brooks-TLC and the entire northern Chautauqua county region,” said Chris Lanski, Chair of the Brooks-TLC Hospital System board of directors. “I saw firsthand how she worked every day to make sure the hospital provided the best possible healthcare for everyone in Dunkirk and the surrounding communities.”
With over 20 years of healthcare administration, Morris holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Administration Services from Weber State University, Ogden Utah and a Certificate of Finance for the Non-Financial Managers at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. He is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“I’m excited and honored to become the new CEO of Brooks-TLC Hospital,” said Kenneth Morris. “I would like to thank the Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to continuing the excellent healthcare Brooks-TLC hospital has provided to the northern Chautauqua community. There’s a fantastic team of healthcare workers at Brooks-TLC and I look forward to working with each and every one of them every day to provide the best healthcare possible.”
LaRowe is a longtime hospital leader in upstate New York. Prior to her Brooks-TLC appointment, she was the president and CEO of Catholic Health East/Trinity’s St. James Mercy Health System in Hornell, New York.
She has worked in healthcare for more than 36 years, including 30 years in administration and leadership with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), Healthcare Association of Western and Central New York, Westfield Memorial Hospital, United Memorial Medical Center (Batavia) as well as the New York State Department of Health.
LaRowe is board certified (fellow status) with the American College of Healthcare Executives. She has been involved in the American Hospital Association, the Healthcare Association of New York State, Rochester Regional Healthcare Association, United Way of the Southern Tier, the Rural Area Health Education Center, and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.
“On behalf of the board of directors, our management team and the entire Kaleida Health family, we say thank you to Mary for everything she has done for us the past six years,” said Don Boyd, CEO of Kaleida Health. “Her leadership and dedication to the organization has been exceptional at both Brooks-TLC Hospital and at Upper Allegheny last year when she guided the hospital on an interim basis. Rural healthcare has undergone many changes the past few years and Mary has done a fantastic job of leading the organization during these difficult times.”
“Ken has been an integral part of the operation of Brooks-TLC the past four years and is the perfect person to assume the role of CEO,” said Don Boyd, CEO of Kaleida Health. “Ken has a great understanding of the hospital’s operation and can seamlessly transition into this expanded role. Since the first day Ken joined Brooks-TLC, he has worked tirelessly to provide exceptional leadership and guidance to the hospital.”