MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

July 7, 2011

London Health Sciences Centre welcomes new Board members


LONDON, Ontario - London Health Sciences Centre is pleased to welcome three new members to its Board of Directors. LHSC Board chair, Peter Johnson, welcomed incoming members Dr. Colleen Hancyz, Mr. Tom Gergely, and Dr. Scott McKay (ex-officio member) at LHSC’s Annual Community Meeting in June.


“We are excited to have Colleen, Tom and Scott join us at such an important time,” said Mr. Johnson. “Their leadership skills, experience and acumen will help guide LHSC over the next few years. Their commitment to the mission and vision of LHSC will continue to position our hospital as a leader in our community, dedicated to safe and quality patient care.”


"It is a pleasure to have been invited to participate in the governance of this leading healthcare institution,” says Dr. Hancyz, principal of Brescia University College. “LHSC is known for making a significant difference in the lives of members of our community and I look forward to helping in the critical work of its Board in the coming days.”


Dr. Colleen Hancyz is only the second lay principal in Brescia’s history. Following several years in practice as a commercial litigator, Colleen served as an associate professor at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Colleen is a leader and an educator, and she has practiced as a civil mediator for many years.


Tom Gergely is a vice president and national practice leader at Aon Hewitt. Tom brings a broad base of knowledge in the areas of human capital and risk management consulting, specializing in the areas of integrated absence management and human capital strategy. Tom also specializes in the health care, retail and manufacturing sectors and has served on LHSC’s Finance and Audit committee since 2010.

Dr. Scott McKay is the site chief for the Department of Family Medicine at Victoria Hospital, and the vice-president of LHSC’s Professional Staff Organization. Since 2008, he has worked at the Byron Family Medical Centre where he currently serves as the assistant centre director. Scott is also an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Western Ontario.


Also recognized at the June Annual Community meeting was outgoing member Dr. Ron Butler, who is past president of the Professional Staff Organization. As well, past chair Bob Siskind retired having served LHSC for over ten years.


LHSC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that consists of 22 board members. Fourteen community members are elected by LHSC members of the corporation and have a wide range of skills and experience. Eight ex-officio members sit as board members by virtue of their position of office. For a list of the current Board, visit LHSC’s web site at http://www.lhsc.on.ca/About_Us/LHSC/Corporate_Information/index.htm

About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 135 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care, London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in Southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca

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For media inquiries contact:
Julia Capaldi
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 74772
Julia.capaldi@lhsc.on.ca

After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call.