Conemaugh Health System names new market president, Memorial CEO

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Rodney Reider has been named chief executive officer at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center and market president of Conemaugh Health System, effective Feb. 20, the hospital said in a press release.

Reider replaces Bill Caldwell, who announced his plans to retire in July 2022. Caldwell has led the organization since 2018.

Caldwell originally planned to step down on Dec. 31, but agreed to stay on until a replacement was named.

The new CEO was chosen through a selection process led by Lifepoint Health, one of the partners in Duke LifePoint Healthcare, Conemaugh’s parent company.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rodney to Conemaugh Health,” Lifepoint Eastern Division President Jamie Carter said. “Rodney is a seasoned leader who is deeply committed to our mission of making communities healthier.

“His passion for quality care, operational expertise and strong track record for organizational growth and community engagement will be a tremendous benefit to Conemaugh Health as a whole.

“We look forward to the many ways his leadership will help our hospitals support and empower the health and well-being of their communities.”

Reider is coming to Conemaugh from St. Louis, Missouri, where he is president of SSM Health. Previously, he served as president of WellSpan York Hospital in York; president and CEO of Trinity Health in Livonia, Michigan; and vice president of Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Reider earned a master’s degree in physiology and kinesiology from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, and a master of business administration in finance and marketing from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California.

He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

“I am excited to join the Conemaugh Health team and to continue the legacy of providing high-quality care and service for the patients and surrounding communities,” Reider said. “I look forward to working alongside our teams to ensure that those we serve continue to have access to the highest quality health care services close to home.”

James Cascio and James Hargreaves were members of the Conemaugh board when it was acquired by Duke LifePoint Healthcare in 2014.

Both were invited to participate in the latest selection process.

Cascio was involved in several interviews, he said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

“It was a very impressive group,” he said.

Lifepoint leaders were interested in hearing the Johnstown advisers’ thoughts on the CEO candidates, but did not include them in the final selection process, Cascio said, adding that Reider has a broad range of health care leadership experience.

“It impressed me that he had a lot of experience in many different areas,” Cascio said. “He has a lot of knowledge and could work well with the Lifepoint organization and also locally.”