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Catholic Health Initiatives, the Denver-based parent company of St. Vincent Health System, recently hired two CEOs for the system's two Arkansas hospitals.

In late January, CHI announced that Peter Banko of Corpus Christi, Texas, will take over as president and CEO on April 2. Banko currently serves as chief operating officer for Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi. Also hired: Christy Hockaday as administrator and CEO at St. Anthony's in Morrilton. Hockaday was most recently a member of the leadership team at Conway Regional.

Banko takes over for interim CEO Ken Haynes, who was filling in for former CEO Steve Mansfield, who left St. Vincent for the top post at a Dallas hospital. Hockaday, a Morrilton native, has already started as CEO to replace Jonathan Davis, who took a CEO position at a hospital in Pittsburg, Kan. Banko said his interest in Little Rock developed last summer.

"I had the opportunity to attend a leadership development program with Kevin Lofton, CEO at CHI, last June and was thoroughly impressed," Banko wrote in an e-mail. "I researched St. Vincent and Little Rock, and put my name in the ring."
Banko liked what he found.

"St. Vincent has such a proud tradition and rich heritage," he said. "After meeting the board, physicians, leadership team and staff, I was convinced that I needed to be part of the team. The warmth of the entire Little Rock community convinced my family that we needed to be there."

The board of directors at St. Vincent was also happy to get Banko.

"We're excited that he has agreed to take on this vital leadership role," said Lunsford Bridges, chairman of the St. Vincent board of directors and of the executive search committee in a statement. "We're looking forward to benefiting from Peter's experience as a proven strategic leader in the areas of growth and development."

In Banko's three years in Corpus Christi, Christus Spohn's fiscal picture improved from an $8.5 million loss to an $11.9 million profit under Banko's leadership.

Banko already has some plans for St. Vincent.

"In my first year, I'd like to get to know everyone at St. Vincent and become fully immersed in the business community in Little Rock," Banko said. "I think we have some great opportunities to leverage our strengths in cardiac, ortho/neuro, and women's services, grow our partnerships with physicians and get our $40 million expansion project into high gear."

Banko is a graduate of Notre Dame and with his new home being in the South, where college football reigns supreme, he was asked if his alma mater was a great — or even the greatest ever — college football program.

"Notre Dame has great traditions (not just football). I wouldn't trade my time there for anything in the world," Banko said. "So for me, ND is the greatest football program and university on this planet."

Haynes, who has run St. Vincent as interim CEO since August 2006 and has been praised for his leadership, said his plans call for staying in Little Rock.
"I look forward to working with Peter to make certain that St. Vincent is fully prepared to meet current and future challenges," Haynes said.

Hockaday was also hired under his watch, and Haynes said in a late January statement on the hiring, "She brings a wealth of healthcare knowledge to this position."

In addition to her role at Conway Regional, Hockaday is also an adjunct faculty member at UAMS, where she is a graduate program instructor of health services administration. Hockaday also served in an administrative position at Sparks in Fort Smith.


March 2007

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