“I am pleased to welcome Ron to Elk Regional,” Mr. Bauer said. “Our executive search team felt strongly that he will be instrumental in helping this organization move forward. He is someone who has the trust and confidence of his peers and a track record of success, and I am delighted that he will be part of Elk Regional’s future.”
“It is a privilege to join the leadership team at Elk Regional,” Mr. Skarka said. “I am excited about the opportunity to share in the effort to build the premier healthcare provider in Elk and Cameron counties and the surrounding region. Compared to my own experience and the experience of those with whom I network on a nationwide basis, Elk Regional is arguably the most comprehensive community health system I have seen, with a wide array of services. The Health System is an important and wonderful asset for the region it serves.”
The Chief Operating Officer position was created as a result of a structural reorganization approved by the Health System Board of Directors in 2011.
In his new role, Mr. Skarka will provide executive leadership to the ancillary and support departments of the Health Center, including Radiology, the Laboratory, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation, Nutritional Services, Facilities, Housekeeping, Bio-Medical, and Business and Fund Development. He will also work closely with the administrative team at Pinecrest Manor, the 138-bed long-term care facility that is a division of the Health Center.
Mr. Skarka will also oversee several of the Health System’s affiliates, including Elk Regional Health System Foundation, Innovative Dialysis at Elk Regional, ELCO Glen Housing, and the Elk Regional Professional Group.
As a member of Elk Regional’s executive leadership team, Mr. Skarka will attend the regular monthly meetings of the Health System Board of Directors. He will also serve as Elk Regional’s second-in-command in Mr. Bauer’s absence.
Before coming to Elk Regional, Mr. Skarka spent eight years as the vice President of Business Development for St. Joseph Hospital, a 112-bed facility in Bangor, Maine. He spent 18 years at the H.D. Goodall Hospital in Sanford, Maine. While there, he spent 12 years as the hospital’s second-in-command.
Mr. Skarka became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives in 1996, an exclusive designation that signifies one’s commitment to excellence in health care administration and leadership. He holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. Skarka and his wife, Doris, will reside in the St. Marys area. They have one grown son.
