Bon Secours Health System Announces New Executive Vice President Appointed to Lead Bon Secours St. Petersburg Health System

Marriottsville, Maryland, May 9, 2007  – Following an in-depth, nationwide search, Bon Secours Health System today announced the appointment of Karen Reich, a highly respected senior care executive, as its new executive vice president (EVP) for Bon Secours St. Petersburg Health System (BSSP) in St. Petersburg, Florida. BSSP is comprised of Maria Manor Nursing Care and Rehabilitation Center, Bon Secours Place at Maria Manor, an assisted living facility, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services and comprehensive home care. Reich will assume her new responsibilities at BSSP on June 18, 2007.

Reich will report directly to Jim Higgins, CEO for Bon Secours New York Health System and Bon Secours St. Petersburg Health System. As EVP, she will work closely with Higgins on major elements of the BSSP’s long term care strategy and operations. As well, she will provide leadership in the development of ongoing processes and systems that result in documented improvements in clinical and service outcomes and in operationalizing the expansion of BSSP services and overall campus.

Reich comes to Bon Secours from Baycare Health System in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area where her 18-year tenure included leadership responsibilities for senior services, adult day health center, operational management for skilled nursing, acute and ambulatory services, six sigma operations improvements, case management, social services, and a variety of service specific programs and clinics. Reich also developed a countywide Long-Term Care Networking consortium to facilitate education and communication amongst providers across the continuum of care.

Jim Higgins stated that Reich brings a unique combination of acute and elderly care experiences and successes. “Bon Secours St. Petersburg is poised and ready for strategic growth. Karen is the right person to take it to the next level. Her skills and leadership abilities will enable this system to expand the ability to serve its mission and the St. Petersburg community.”

Sister Mary Lou Moran, Bon Secours Health System senior vice president of sponsorship said that Reich brings special leadership skills to BSSP at an important time in its growth. “BSSP is an important ministry of the Bon Secours Health System, and we’re so pleased to have a leader and health care professional of Karen’s talent and broad capabilities who will work with us to shape, enhance and advance such a wonderful ministry in cooperation with the people in the communities we serve,” she said.

Reich earned her bachelor of science and masters degrees in social work from The Florida State University. She has received numerous awards and is affiliated with a variety of community and professional organizations. Reich serves on several boards and committees including the Bon Secours Maria Manor and Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Petersburg boards.

“Bon Secours St. Petersburg Health System is a special organization deeply rooted in tradition, mission, and community,” said Reich. “Its strong reputation and commitment to the employees and the St. Petersburg community is inspiring. I am very excited about being part of a team whose dedication is so visibly strong. I look forward to working with the Bon Secours team and providing leadership to support the current and future needs of the people it serves in the St. Petersburg community.”

Bon Secours St. Petersburg is comprised of Bon Secours Maria Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Care Center, a 274-bed licensed nursing care center offering skilled and long-term care nursing with a dedicated Alzheimer’s unit; a highly skilled in-patient rehabilitation program, The Center for Rehabilitation; as well as an outpatient rehabilitation program. Bon Secours St. Petersburg also includes Bon Secours Place, a 102-unit assisted living facility (ALF), and one of the first ALF’s to receive Joint Commission accreditation; and Bon Secours St. Petersburg Home Health Care Services, Inc.,. Bon Secours St. Petersburg also provides select community programs for at-risk elderly.

Bon Secours Health System, Inc. based in Marriottsville, Maryland, is a $2.2 billion dollar not-for-profit Catholic health system that owns, manages or joint ventures 19 acute care, 6 long term care, 6 assisted living and independent living and other facilities, primarily on the East Coast. Bon Secours Health System consists of more than 18,000 caregivers helping people in 11 communities in nine states. Its vision is to be recognized for its leadership in justice, transforming the communities in which we serve and work into places of health and hope, and being a prophetic voice for systemic U.S. health reform and a more humane world.