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Shawnee Mission Medical Center CEO Announces Retirement

MERRIAM, Kan. – Samuel H. Turner, Sr., President/CEO of Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC), announced his retirement to hospital leadership on Oct. 28. Turner has been with the hospital since 2000 and will officially retire after December 2, 2011.

During his tenure, SMMC saw substantial growth, including the 2009 opening of the Critical Care Services expansion, the largest expansion in the hospital’s nearly 50-year history. Among his other many accomplishments, he oversaw the development of a second campus at K-7 and Prairie Star Parkway in Lenexa, the creation of the area’s first robotic surgery program and planning for the hospital’s new birth center, scheduled to open in early 2013.

“Sam’s leadership over the past 11 years has propelled Shawnee Mission Medical Center forward in dramatic ways,” said Tim Rodgers, Vice-Chairman of SMMC’s Board of Trustees. “He has set a vision for the future that will allow the hospital to thrive far beyond his tenure.”

Turner has 30 years experience in health care having served as a consultant as well as a hospital executive. He is active in the community serving on boards for various organizations including the American Heart Association, Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, Johnson County Community College Foundation, Center for Practical Bioethics and Mid America Coalition for Healthcare. He was honored by President George W. Bush in 2007 with the President’s Volunteer Service award.

“My time at Shawnee Mission Medical Center has been extremely fulfilling,” Turner said. “But, my retirement will allow me to step back and get more balance in my life. I’m grateful for the physicians, staff, volunteers and community members who have been so supportive during my time here.”

An interim President/CEO will be named by mid-November.  The process by which Adventist Health System selects a permanent replacement will be discussed with SMMC’s Board of Trustees on November 29 at their regularly scheduled meeting.

About Shawnee Mission Medical Center
Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC), part of Adventist Health System, is a 504-bed facility with nearly 20,000 inpatient admissions and more than 200,000 outpatient admissions annually. SMMC has the busiest emergency department in Johnson County, the area's first accredited Chest Pain Emergency Center, an accredited Breast Center and delivers more babies each year than any other hospital in the metropolitan area. SMMC employs more than 2,900 local residents and supports an exceptional staff of 700 physicians representing 50 medical specialties, the largest medical staff in Kansas City. Visit us on the Web at ShawneeMission.org.

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