by Gabe Donio, Gazette Staff Writer

HAMMONTON—A new board of directors was named for Kessler Memorial Hospital during a reorganization meeting held on December 27. The new 15-member board is comprised of four members of The Foundation of William B. Kessler Memorial Hospital’s board, two members of the community, six “legacy members” of the previous hospital board, the hospital chief executive officer (CEO), the president of the medical staff and another medical staff member.
The foundation board members named to the hospital board are as follows: Steve Kincaid, Greg Morano, Ron Sahli and Dr. David Weiss. The community members are Nick Cashan and Rusty Lucca. Legacy board members are Dorothy Berenato, Greg Marks, Carol Majlessi, Jack Marinella, Samuel Pignatelli and Robert Schenk. Peter Colella of the Colmen Group was named president/CEO of Kessler Memorial Hospital. President of the Kessler Memorial Hospital Medical Staff Dr. Jack Kanoff and Dr. Albert Belli of the Kessler Memorial Hospital medical staff were also named to the board.
The six legacy members from the previous hospital board were appointed due to Community Health Care Assets Protection Act (CHAPA) regulations, according to Sahli.
A new hospital board was created following the foundation’s purchase of the hospital, which allowed the community’s healthcare facility to emerge from bankruptcy in December. Previous public statements by the hospital said the legacy board members would remain for approximately six months, or until the hospital sale moves through all state regulatory approvals.
The following officers were named to the reorganized hospital board’s executive committee.
Ron Sahli, Chairman; Greg Marks, Vice-chairman; Steve Kincaid, Secretary; Nick Cashan, Treasurer; Peter Colella, President and Dorothy Berenato, Legacy Member.
“We reconstituted the board. It was a great meeting. As chairman, I’m working toward solidarity, not only with the boards but with the community . . . We’ve given the hospital a second chance. Now we have to capitalize on that opportunity,” Sahli told The Gazette.
The board also approved management services for the hospital with The Colmen Group of Wayne, Pennsylvania. Colella is the managing director of the Colmen Group. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Linda Hamilton of the Philadelphia law firm of Ballard Spahr was named legal counsel for the hospital. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“She brings 23 years of expertise to the table, having been in-house counsel for a number of New Jersey hospitals, including Virtua,” Sahli said.
The newly-reconstituted board will meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m. Executive committee meetings will be held the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 8 a.m.
A joint-conference committee (JCC) of the board was also created, Sahli said. The committee resolves medical, quality-care and administrative decisions that need to be made for the good of the hospital and the community, Sahli said. The committee is comprised of four doctors and five hospital board members.
The doctors on the JCC include Kanoff, Belli, Weiss and emergency room doctor Bill Zwiebel. Board members include Cashan, Colella, Lucca, Morano and Sahli. The JCC will meet as needed, Sahli said.
Sahli said the board discussed a number of matters, including the financial position of the hospital.
“The state of the finances is strong. We are waiting on some other payments. The financial structure of the hospital continues to be worked on to create a bridge for a considerable period of time until we can make a possible affiliation/merger with a larger health system,” Sahli said.
In addition, the hospital board discussed the future direction of the hospital with strategic planning to establish or re-establish services, Sahli said.
Those services include the possibility of reinstating renal dialysis, heart-lung management and the establishment of a Women’s Center.
“These would all be done in conjunction with other hospitals. There would be no cost to the hospital,” Sahli said.
An extensive review of the hospital by-laws will also be conducted, Sahli said.
“They need to be updated,” Sahli said.
Sahli said the new board’s makeup reflects the direction the hospital must take to thrive in the future.
“I feel extremely encouraged, because of the demeanor of the people on this board and the willingness to work together for the common goal of keeping a hospital open for the community. We have four foundation members, two community members and six legacy members. We want the community’s involvement in the hospital. We feel the two who we selected are very good businessmen. Both Rusty and Nick have stepped up to the challenge and are going to bring a fresh perspective,” Sahli said.