JOHN FRIEL
Effective
May 9th Bear Valley Community Healthcare District will welcome John
Friel as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the local hospital. He will
succeed David M. Faulkner, who has served as the Healthcare District’s Interim
CEO since August of 2015.
BVCHD
Board President Donna Nicely noted, “The Board is thrilled to have unanimously
approved John Friel as our new CEO. We believe that he is a great fit for the
District, as well as the community. He brings a multitude of experiences to
this facility, and we are so excited for him to be a part of our team.” She
also expressed gratitude for the leadership provided by David Faulkner as
Interim CEO:
John
Friel brings 25+ years of healthcare experience to the position. Friel will be
responsible for the leadership of the hospital as well as working with the
Board of Directors and the community in continuing to bring quality healthcare
to the residents and visitors of Big Bear Valley.
Friel
stated “I’m excited to join the team of professional caregivers of physicians,
Board, employees and volunteers at Bear Valley Community Hospital. I look forward to continue the quest for the
highest quality of care possible for the residents and visitors of the
District. My wife Connie and I will be
relocating to Big Bear Lake and are eager to get involved in the
community. Outside of our professional
responsibilities we enjoy skiing, fishing, golf, walking and are thrilled to
experience all the beauty the area has to offer.”
Prior
to joining the BVCH District, Friel served as CEO for Catalina Island Medical
Center. He comes to the Big Bear Valley with critical access hospital (CAH)
experience, as well as experience in resort communities, rural health, bond
campaigns, lobbying federal legislation, grants, seismic retrofitting and union
negotiations, among many other valuable skills for our unique facility. Mr.
Friel began his career as a nurse, and has served in our armed forces as a
First Lieutenant Staff Nurse.
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Joins the Hospital Team
Bear Valley Community Healthcare District
Founded in 1974,
Bear Valley Community Hospital specializes in the areas of coagulation,
hematology, microbiology and urinalysis. The hospital offers respiratory and
physical therapies. It provides 24-hour emergency and skilled nursing care
services. Bear Valley Community Hospital’s diagnostic imaging services include
CT scan, ultrasound, X-ray and mammography. The Big Bear Valley hospital offers
a family health center that with several types of medical care solutions for
children, adults and senior citizens. In addition, it specializes in inpatient
and outpatient services for ophthalmic and cosmetic surgeries.
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