DULUTH, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rocklon B. “Rocky” Chapin, FACHE, will retire as president/CEO of Benedictine Health System (BHS) on or about January 2, 2018.
Chapin, 65, was named president/CEO of Benedictine Health System in 2013. The Benedictine Health System is a nationally recognized Catholic, mission-directed, values-based health care system providing a full spectrum of health and housing services to aging adults. BHS owns and manages skilled nursing, assisted living and independent living communities across the upper Midwest and offers services in areas such as therapy, rehabilitation, memory care, home health care, adult day and transitional care. The System consists of approximately 35 campuses in five states and serves about 5,000 aging adults on a daily basis. BHS generates approximately $350 million in annual revenues, employs over 4,000 individuals and is sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, Minn.
Dean Fox, M.D., chair of the BHS Board of Directors, said the BHS Board of Directors is responsible for succession planning and leadership continuity to ensure a successful organization long into the future. The Board has been focused on succession planning efforts for several years not only for the president/CEO position but for other key leadership positions at BHS. The board anticipates that a new president/CEO for BHS will be named sometime this fall.
“In the past several years, the rate of change has escalated in the health care space,” said Fox. “Because of his experience, Rocky helped navigate this change to position BHS in the best possible place. The organization is well-situated for the future due to his leadership. Rocky was a true ambassador of our Mission and Core Values. His work style and his personal commitment has been a model to all of us at BHS. While we are sorry to see Rocky retire, he leaves BHS in a strong position with a solid leadership team in place and a culture dedicated to furthering the Ministry of our Sponsor, the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery.”
Chapin’s accomplishments during his time as BHS president/CEO include:
- Being a respected regional and national leader representing the health care ministry of our Sponsor, the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, Minn.
- Development of a culture grounded in the BHS Core Values of Hospitality, Stewardship, Respect and Justice.
- Leading the organization with a sense that it is fulfilling the work of the Catholic Church.
- Development of a strategic plan that will take BHS into 2020 and beyond.
- Effectively translating, promoting and communicating the Vision of BHS.
- Identification, engagement and development of BHS governance, their work and activities.
- A dedicated focus to financially stabilize BHS in times of great change.
- Moving the organization from a holding company model to one of an operating company.
- Representing BHS both regionally and nationally through association and other activities.
“We are grateful to Rocky for his dedication to advancing the BHS Mission, Vision and Core Values in our health care ministry serving aging adults,” said Sister Beverly Raway, prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery. “His deep commitment to our work and heritage and to guiding BHS has been a gift to all of us – those that serve and those who are served. While we are sad to see Rocky leave BHS, he leaves the organization stronger and better than when he began his work at our Ministry. We wish him the best in his retirement.”
Before joining the Benedictine Health System, Chapin served as executive vice president and senior officer for the hospital division of Essentia Health in Duluth. His past positions include national director of health care services, Ryan Companies US, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.; executive vice president and chief operating officer, St. Luke’s Methodist Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; president and CEO, VHA Iowa & Health Enterprises of Iowa, Cedar Rapids; and senior administrator, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis.
