Separation Agreement Not Finalized for Outgoing Leader
The McDonough District Hospital (MDH) Board of Directors held a special meeting Tuesday evening to interview, in closed session, the first candidate for the position of interim CEO while the search committee seeks a permanent replacement. Names of the interim CEO candidates are not being released at this time.
According to MDH Board Member JoEllen Pensinger, who is heading the search committee, additional interviews are expected to be scheduled for the interim role. The search committee includes hospital employees Kim Thorman and Dr. Jeff Sparks; Dr. Amy Waschul; MDH Finance Committee Member Todd Lester; MDH Board Member Seth Minter; and former longtime MDH CEO/President Steve Hopper.
At the May 18 Board of Directors meeting, members voted to part ways with CEO Bill Murdock in 60 days. His last day has not been confirmed. Murdock was named as the permanent CEO in May 2024 after serving as the interim CEO/president when the embattled then-CEO Brian Dietz was expelled through a mutual separation agreement, totaling $325,000, in December 2023. Before being named interim CEO in January 2024, Murdock had served as the hospital's Chief Financial Officer since April 2019.
During a May 28 special meeting of Board of Directors, the Board voted to allow Board Chair Dan O'Neill to work with the firm, Howard & Howard, to finalize a separation agreement with Murdock. That agreement is still in the works, O'Neill said following Tuesday's meeting.
