COUDERSPORT – Charles Cole Memorial Hospital Chief Executive
Office David B. Acker has resigned to assume a similar position
with a rural hospital in upstate New York.
He and his wife, Linda, will be relocating to Potsdam, N.Y., in
the coming weeks.
Ed Pitchford, currently chief financial officer at Cole, will
serve as interim CEO while a search committee recruits a
successor.
Acker, an attorney, has served as the hospital’s CEO for 11
years. He left his Coudersport law practice to become involved with
the local hospital, then assumed the position after cancer claimed
the life of hospital CEO Ben Stimaker.
During his years at Cole Hospital, Acker has made a name for
himself as an advocate for rural health care.
He has been an executive board member and education chair of the
Pennsylvania. Health Care Cost Containment Council.
He has also chaired the Rural Hospital Section of the American
Hospital Association.
Acker said he and his wife weighed numerous factors before
deciding to move. Chief among them was the opportunity to continue
his involvement with rural health care.
“I have been associated with Charles Cole for more than 20 years
and by far the most rewarding aspect of my job has been working
with such a great team of people,” Acker said. “While I will miss
the personal and professional connections in the community we’ve
called home for 25 years, I am looking forward to the challenges I
will find in this new setting.”
Charles Updegraff Jr., president of the Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital Board of Directors, said Acker will be missed.
“David Acker has been a truly remarkable, dedicated and
effective leader,” Updegraff said. “We are grateful for David’s
commitment to vision of excellence for Charles Cole. He has
provided the hospital dynamic and visionary leadership for many
years, and we wish him well for the future and offer our heartfelt
thanks.”
Acker will become president and chief executive officer of
Canton-Potsdam (N.Y.) Hospital on June 11.
The 94-bed health system serves the St. Lawrence County
area.
