Hospitals

Summa Health appoints president of Barberton, Wadsworth hospitals

Akron's Summa Health System has made it official: Tom DeBord is president of Summa Barberton and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman hospitals. DeBord, 47, has been interim president of the hospitals in Summit and Medina counties since July 1.

Akron’s Summa Health System has made it official: Tom DeBord is president of Summa Barberton and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman hospitals.

DeBord, 47, has been interim president of the hospitals in Summit and Medina counties since July 1.

DeBord leads day-to-day operations at the two hospitals and serves as a member of the Summa Health System leadership team, the Akron health system said in a release. He replaces James Pope, who resigned in August to become president and CEO of Franciscan Health System in suburban Toledo, Ohio.

Started his career at Barberton Citizens Hospital in 1988, DeBord was named chief operating officer in 2002. Summa acquired that hospital in 2007. He added the COO job for Summa Wadsworth-Rittman in 2008, the year Summa acquired the Wadsworth hospital.

“I cannot think of a better person to lead Summa Barberton and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman hospitals than Tom DeBord,” said Tom Strauss, Summa Health System president and CEO, in the release. “His vision remains instrumental in the growth of these two outstanding facilities, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we grow and expand services to meet the needs of the community.”

After cutbacks in recent years, Summa Wadsworth-Rittman is growing again, thanks to a capital project plan of at least $8 million led by DeBord.

“I am honored to accept this position and excited to continue the great work already underway across the entire system,” DeBord said in the release. “We have an outstanding vision for the future and a tremendous team in place. This is a time of great opportunity as we enter a new era of healthcare and I am pleased to be able to positively impact the communities that we serve and that I call home.”

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