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Hospice Director Resigns

Wise out, McKesson in

from Staff Reports

Published: July 2, 2009

The Board of Directors of Hospice of McDowell County, Inc. has approved a change in Executive Director and Mark Wise has announced plans to pursue new opportunities.

"After 15 years with Hospice, my decision and that of the Board to pursue new directions was difficult, but this is the time to move forward," Wise said. "Personally, I have thought about various career opportunities including exploring missionary work and other ways to serve my community. I'm looking forward to a change with new challenges, and I am confident Hospice is in good hands with our Board and under the interim leadership."

The Board of Directors has named Ray McKesson as Interim Executive Director for Hospice during the search process for a new Executive Director. McKesson has been a Hospice Board member and the organization's Treasurer since he retired in 2007 as Vice-President for Finance and Administration at McDowell Technical Community College, where he had worked since 1981.

Returning to McDowell County after serving in the US Army, McKesson earned a bachelor's degree in Technology from Appalachian State University in 1977 and assisted people with Medicaid eligibility at DSS before working at McDowell Technical Community College as purchasing agent and equipment coordinator. By 1989, he earned a master's degree in business administration from Western Carolina University and became Chief Financial Officer for MTCC.

McKesson knows the people and needs of McDowell County, having been an elected member of the McDowell County Board of Education from 1986 to 1996, serving as a lay leader at Addie's Chapel United Methodist Church, and working with numerous charitable and civic organizations as well as governmental agencies.

McKesson and Board members and Officers met with Hospice staff to assure them that McKesson and Board members will provide support and leadership during this transition so that staff can focus on patients' needs. Mr. Wise is consulting with Hospice and assisting with the transition.

"We are very proud of the commitment, skill and dedication that our staff and our volunteers bring to meeting the needs of our patients," said Wood. "The Board will be working to support our staff and volunteers so that patient care will be uninterrupted during this transition."

Hospice of McDowell County provides a team of professionals and volunteers who provide medical care and support for the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patient whose illness is no longer curable and the patient's family and care givers.

The Hospice Board of Directors has appointed Kay Blanton and Jane Schroeder to co-chair the Search Committee to oversee the process for selecting a new Executive Director. Other members of the search committee will be appointed soon.

In addition, the Board of Directors has appointed the following Committees to explore expanded HOMC services:
A] The Palliative Care Committee chaired by Veda Rowe to pursue the introduction of palliative care services,
B] The Residence Committee chaired by Dr. George Ellis to explore in residence/in hospital services, and
C] The Affiliation Committee chaired by Sharon Parker to explore possibilities for coordination of expanded services with other medical care providers and other area Hospices.

In addition, Board members and McKesson are meeting with volunteers, patients, patient's families, and other care providers to assure them that "Hospice of McDowell County is here to stay. Our Board looks forward to exploring ways to provide even more services in the future."

Mark Wise was employed by Hospice of McDowell County in 1994 as the organization's first Executive Director, helping to complete the federal and state documentation required to open Hospice, to recruit volunteers and to hire staff so that the first Hospice of McDowell County patient could be admitted for care and support in that same year. Since then, Mark Wise has overseen the growth of the Hospice program to its height in 2005 when Hospice admitted 149 patients [including 27 in nursing homes] for an average daily census of 42 patients and a median length of stay of 40 days and he supervised the building of the Center for Hope, which opened in September of 2006.

"Mark Wise is to be commended. He has a deep commitment to this community," Ray McKesson said. "He has done a tremendous job getting Hospice off the ground and growing to where it is today."