Banner Announces Executive
Re-assignments, New Appointment

PHOENIX, AUG. 29 -- This week Banner Health announced three executive re-assignments involving hospital CEOs and a new CEO appointment in the Arizona Region. The moves affects four of Banner Health’s seven acute care hospitals in the Valley. Banner Health is Arizona’s largest health care provider and second largest private employer.

The transition to these re-assignments begins Wednesday, Aug. 30. The new CEO appointment is effective Friday, Sept. 8. Following are the re-assignments:

• Colleen Hallberg, CEO of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, AZ will move to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ as Chief Nursing Officer
• Tom Dickson, CEO of Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix will move to Banner Thunderbird Medical Center as CEO
• Kathy Bollinger, CEO of Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, AZ to Banner Estrella Medical Center as CEO
• John Harrington returns to Banner Health as CEO of Banner Heart Hospital

“These re-assignments maximize the impressive skills and talents of the Arizona Region’s executive management team with evolving operational challenges, particularly those associated with Banner Health’s transition into a high growth stage,” says Susan Edwards, Arizona Region President.

Late last year Banner Health announced major expansion projects, including a new tower at Banner Thunderbird that will add 192 beds to that campus. Additionally, Banner Baywood Medical Center opened a new 123-bed tower in October 2006.  All Banner facilities are working to expand their services to meet the growing healthcare needs of the Valley.

Executive snapshots
John Harrington … joins us from Paradise Valley Hospital where he was CEO since 2003. Prior to that position, Harrington was CEO from 2000 to 2003 at the Arizona Heart Hospital and CEO at Vencor Hospital from 1994 to 2000. He also served in various administrator roles at BGSMC and BTMC from 1983 to 1991.

Colleen Hallberg … is moving to BGSMC from her CEO post at BTMC, which she has held since 2003. Colleen came to BTMC in 1995 and served as administrator of Nursing Services until 2000 when she became senior administrator/chief nursing officer. Additionally, she served as program administrator, Medical-Surgical Services at both BGSMC and BDMC in 1994 and 1995.

Tom Dickson … joined Banner Health in 2005 as CEO of BEMC. Prior to that appointment, Tom served in various capacities with Sun Health from 1990 to 2005, which included executive vice president/CEO posts at Del E. Webb Hospital and Walter O. Boswell Hospital.

Kathy Bollinger … is moving to BEMC from her CEO post at BBHH, which she has held since 1999. Prior to her CEO role, she enjoyed a history of leadership in the Lutheran Healthcare Network, which she joined in 1985. Her positions within Lutheran included director of Planning and Marketing, director of Outpatient Services and Marketing manager.

About Banner Health
Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, not-for-profit health care systems in the country. The system owns or manages 20 acute-care hospitals, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. To learn more about Banner health, go to http://www.bannerhealth.com/.