HSHS ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO
DECATUR, IL – HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital announced today the appointment of Theresa Rutherford, RN, MSN, MBA, FACHE, as the next president and chief executive officer (CEO). She will start her service January 3, 2021.
Rutherford comes to St. Mary’s from HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham where she has served as president and CEO since 2013. Rutherford is no stranger to St. Mary’s Hospital. Prior to her service at St. Anthony’s, she was the chief operating officer (COO) at St. Mary’s from 2006 to 2013. During her time as COO, she took on a dual role as chief nursing executive until a chief nursing officer was hired. Rutherford’s history with St. Mary’s goes even further. She began her career with St. Mary’s in 1979 as an LPN.
“I will miss our team at St. Anthony’s dearly and I am so proud of the work we have done together there, but I am very excited to work again with the many dedicated colleagues, physicians and board of directors at St. Mary’s Hospital,” said Rutherford. “I am so grateful for this new opportunity to serve as the leader at St. Mary’s and will continue to build on the great work already in progress.”
After her first job at as an LPN at St. Mary’s, Rutherford worked at Carle Foundation Hospital, in Urbana, Illinois, Galesburg Cottage Hospital in Galesburg, Illinois and The Finley Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa, before her eventual return to HSHS.
Rutherford is a native of Coffeyville, Kansas. She completed her undergraduate degree in Nursing at Millikin University. In addition, she holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. She and her husband, Tom, have four adult children.
HSHS St. Mary’s current president and CEO, Michael Hicks has accepted a new job outside of the hospital industry. We want to thank Mike for his service to our colleagues and patients at St. Mary’s and wish him well in his future endeavors.
While a nationwide search is conducted for a new president and CEO at St. Anthony’s, Mike Janis, currently the executive director of outpatient and ancillary services, will serve as the interim president and CEO.