Mary LaRowe

DUNKIRK — Mary LaRowe, Brooks-TLC Hospital System president and CEO, is temporarily leaving to act as interim head of another hospital group nearby.

LaRowe will act as president and CEO of Upper Allegheny Health System while it seeks a replacement for Jeff Zewe, who resigned recently. UAHS runs the hospitals in Olean and in Bradford, Pa.

She will not be a candidate in the search for Zewe’s permanent replacement.

“Mary has a demonstrated track record of leadership and collaboration especially in rural healthcare,” said Don Boyd, chief operating officer of Kaleida Health, the affiliate partner of UAHS. “Having worked in places like Dunkirk, Hornell and Batavia, it is clear that she understands the needs here. She can step in as interim president and CEO and will continue to work to enhance care for the residents of the Southern Tier communities.”

While LaRowe is assisting Upper Allegheny, Brooks-TLC will be under the temporary leadership of Ken Morris, chief operating officer. LaRowe remains president and chief executive officer of Brooks-TLC.

“I want to first thank all of the wonderful caregivers who dedicate their service to our communities, centered here in Bradford and Olean,” said Jeff Belt, chair of the UAHS board of directors. “For 15 months, through a period of unprecedented stress upon healthcare systems, and unprecedented personal risk to health care providers, they have kept us safe. On behalf of the UAHS board of directors, we say thank you. “We also want to thank the Brooks-TLC Hospital System board of directors and Mary LaRowe for their assistance during this leadership transition. The team here, and the communities we serve, will see a seamless transition. We will also continue to implement our board-led transformation of healthcare delivery in our region. It is imperative that we continue our plan of change toward centers of excellence.”

LaRowe was named CEO of Brooks-TLC in 2016. Prior to that, she was the president and CEO of Catholic Health East’s St. James Mercy Health System in Hornell.