Jody Lomeo is leaving as head of Western New York's largest healthcare provider. The Kaleida Health President and CEO issued a system-wide email Tuesday morning, saying this last year of his contract will be his last year as CEO.
“It’s been 12 great years now between my time at Kaleida Health and ECMC,” Lomeo said, “but it is time for me to get back to my family and spend more time at home."
Lomeo said staying on for another year will give the board of directors time to find a successor and provide a smooth transition come 2021.
“We offered an extension and we asked him to stay, but we couldn’t get him to change his mind,” said Board Chair Frank Curci. “Not only do we understand his decision, but we fully support him. Doing this now and giving us a year to prepare speaks to his character and the type of leader that Jody is.”
Lomeo was an independent financial consultant in Williamsville when then-Erie County Executive Joel Giambra appointed him to the Erie County Medical Center Board of Managers in 2001. Lomeo later became the first Board Chair of ECMC and, in 2009, CEO.
Throughout his tenure, he became known as a "bridge builder" and helped carry out the merger of ECMC with Kaleida. Named President and CEO of Kaleida in 2014, Lomeo led the construction of the $270 million John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Lomeo also becomes Chair of the Greater New York Hospital Association Board of Governors in May, representing Kaleida Health in the statewide advocacy organization. Curci said he also asked Lomeo to stay on the board after a new CEO is chosen.
Curci said a national search looking at internal, local and national candidates will begin in the coming months.
