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News Release

Media Contacts:
Christina Chavira
Communications Specialist
530.332.5589 - office; 530.588.4411 - cell
christina.chavira@enloe.org        

Enloe Medical Center announces Board of Trustees updates for 2009

Editor: Individual portraits of the board members are available upon request.

CHICO, Calif., Jan. 5., 2009 – Enloe Medical Center’s Board of Trustees welcomes a new Board Chair and board member in changes that became effective Jan. 1, 2009.

The incoming Board Chair is Matthews Jackson, Sr., who joined the board in 2007. Jackson replaces Darby Makel, who completed his board appointment Dec. 31, 2008. In another change for the new year, Attila Kasza, MD, joins the board as an ex-officio member due to his position as Enloe’s Chief of Staff Elect. The Chief of Staff is Forrest Olson, MD, who takes over from John Howard, MD. Dr. Howard completed his board appointment at year’s end.

Also new to the board as of Jan. 1, 2009, is Steve Schaefer, RPh, of Chico. He is an ex-officio member due to his position as Chairman of the Enloe Foundation Board of Directors. Schaefer, a consultant pharmacist for Omnicare, replaces Lance Tennis, who continues as a member of the Foundation Board. Other new officers for the Enloe Foundation Board of Directors are Norm Nielsen, Vice Chair, and Renee McAmis, Secretary.

“Darby Makel has been a world class leader as Chair of the Enloe Medical Center Board of Trustees,” said Judy Sitton, Vice Chair, Enloe Board of Trustees. “He has guided our Board through major administrative and board transitions, physician collaboration and alignment, union negotiations, regulatory visits, mandates and process improvements; and he has assisted in securing financing for our much needed medical center expansion. Whether he's working on a NASA mission in his business or supporting our local hospital, Darby is always reaching for the stars and leaving his mark of excellence."

Darby was elected Interim Board Chair in June 2006 and permanent Chair in September 2006. He is the owner of Makel Engineering, which creates products and services for aviation, space, military and commercial applications.

“Matt Jackson brings a wealth of experience to the position of Chair of the Enloe Medical Center Board of Trustees,” Sitton said. “I have worked with Matt on a number of Boards, and he excels in collaboration, decision-making and analysis. His leadership and follow-up are excellent. I look forward to serving with Matt.”

Jackson is proprietor of MJ Management Solutions, a consulting service. He served Butte College as assistant superintendent and vice president for education and student programs and services from 1992 to 2006, and worked on campus in many other capacities from 1975. Jackson has a Master's Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor's Degree in English. His education includes graduate work at Berne University in International Politics and post-graduate work at the Harvard Institute for Higher Education Management. Jackson also serves on the California State University, Chico Advisory Board and is president of the Chico Chapter of the CSU, Chico Alumni Association. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley.

“Dr. Howard has provided steady and visionary leadership in his role as Chief of the Medical Staff and his representation of the medical staff to the Board of Trustees,” said Peter Magnusson, MD, Secretary,

Enloe Board of Trustees. “We have valued his contributions and have relied upon him to give us essential input. We thank him for his dedication,” Dr. Magnusson continued. “Dr. Kasza is welcomed to the Board in his position of Chief of Staff-elect and we look forward to his contributions on behalf of the Medical Staff.”

Dr. Howard’s service on the Enloe Board of Trustees began Jan. 1, 2007. He practices hematology at the Enloe Regional Cancer Center and has been a member of Enloe’s Medical Staff since 1983. Dr. Howard is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology.

Dr. Kasza is a hospitalist at Enloe and is president of the Chico Hospitalist Group, the independent hospitalist group that practices at the medical center. He is board certified in internal medicine. Dr. Kasza completed his undergraduate education at the University of San Francisco, his graduate education at University of California, Berkeley, and medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Kasza undertook his internship and residency at University of California, Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley Program. He was awarded the Kennamer Fellowship in Internal Medicine at UCLA.

The Enloe Medical Center Board of Trustees is composed of community members who volunteer their time and service to govern the medical center. Beginning in 2009, the board will be made up of 16 members, including Vice Chair Judy Sitton, Secretary Peter Magnusson, M.D., and Enloe’s Chief Executive Officer, Deborah A. Yancer. For more information about the Enloe Board of Trustees, including photos, visit www.enloe.org/governance.

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Enloe Medical Center is a local, nonprofit health care organization. For more information, please call 530/332-7300 or visit us online at http://www.enloe.org.   Enloe Medical Center is located at 1531 Esplanade Chico, Calif.  95926.