POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (February 26, 2019) – Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. (HVEDC), which has announced its intent to merge with the Westchester County Association (WCA), welcomed Joan Cusack-McGuirk, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH), to its Board of Directors.
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital serving the health care needs of the Hudson Valley. Since 2016, SLCH has been a member of the Montefiore Health System, a national leader in transforming health care to improve access, quality and experience of care, as well as being a leading academic health system. SLCH delivers exceptional care to more than 270,000 patients annually at its two campuses in Newburgh and Cornwall. With more than 300 physicians representing dozens of medical specialties on staff, along with more than 1,500 clinical and support personnel, SLCH is one of Orange County’s largest employers.
Joan Cusack-McGuirk has been President and CEO of SLCH since 2016, a role she assumed following a brief stint as Interim President and CEO. She previously held the roles of Senior Vice President, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, and has devoted close to 40 years to healthcare delivery in the Hudson Valley. When St. Luke’s and the Cornwall Hospital merged, Cusack-McGuirk played a pivotal role in the successful integration of two divergent patient care cultures into a singular care model. Since that time, she has been a driving force in bringing the organization into the next era of healthcare delivery. She was instrumental in finalizing the partnership between SLCH and Montefiore Health System, resulting in SLCH joining a leading health system in the nation for population health management.
Cusack-McGuirk’s commitment to the community spans far beyond the four walls of the hospital and its two campuses. She is actively involved in a variety of community organizations throughout the Hudson Valley including Safe Homes of Orange County, Access: Supports for Living, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, the Greater Newburgh Rotary Club, Newburgh Armory Unity Center, along with New York Association of Nurse Executives and Leaders (NYONEL), Healthcare Association of New York State, and Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA). Since Cusack-McGuirk’s appointment as President and CEO, both she and the hospital have received numerous awards and accreditations. Most recently, Joan has been selected as the 2019 recipient of the Ottaway Medal on behalf of the Orange County Citizen’s Foundation.
Under Cusack-McGuirk’s leadership, SLCH has been recognized as a Great Place to WorkTM for the second consecutive year, making the community hospital one of only 13 hospitals in the nation with this same recognition. Additionally, SLCH was named on Becker’s Hospital Review’s list of 2018 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare. Becker’s released this exclusive list, highlighting the organization for its employee engagement efforts, promoting diversity in the workplace and providing opportunities for professional growth for its employees. The community hospital is also accredited by The Joint Commission, which has recognized the organization for excellence in Key Quality Measures in the management of Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Stroke and Surgical Care. SLCH has received the Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus Award for excellence in stroke care from the American Stroke Association for 10 consecutive years
“We’re excited to welcome St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital and its dynamic leader to our Board,” said Mike Oates, President and CEO of HVEDC. “Joan’s vision, planning and facilitation have led to transformational changes at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital. The willingness to embrace progress, foster synergies and identify opportunities for the overall well-being of our community that she has exhibited there, will also be of tremendous benefit to our constituents.”
The Boards of Directors of HVEDC and the WCA announced on January 29 the intent to pursue a merger of the two organizations, creating a leading economic development and business advocacy organization in New York State. The new organization unites a shared strategic mission and vision of HVEDC and the WCA. It will build on their economic development strategies, which are designed to diversify and strengthen the Hudson Valley economy.
About Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC):
HVEDC is the leading economic development agency for the seven-county region of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties. The public-private partnership markets the region as a prime business location to corporate executives, site selection consultants and real estate brokers. HVEDC helped start the organizational, branding and promotional effort for NY BioHud Valley, Hudson Valley 3D Printing, and the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance. To learn more, call 845-220-2244 or visit hvedc.com.
