Brandon Mencini, CEO of Mercy Hospital, is leaving the job after less than two years.
He has accepted a position as the CEO of the Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center and Asante Ashland Community Hospital in southern Oregon.
Asante said in a news release that Mencini will begin his new role July 22.
A spokeswoman for CommonSpirit thanked Mencini for his service and said the company wishes him well.
“The employees at Mercy have always shown a deep commitment to their community through the compassionate care they provide each friend and neighbor,” spokeswoman Lindsay Radford said in a written statement. “Whether earning another ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade or being named a Top 20 Rural & Community Hospital, we are excited to see Mercy continue to build on its success now and into the future. As we have always known, our people are our greatest strength.”
Mencini arrived in Durango in October 2022 and set about rebuilding the community’s trust in the hospital, which had eroded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He quickly became a familiar face to many in the community. He also serves as the vice president of the Durango Chamber of Commerce.
The previous CEO, Patrick Sharp, served only 20 months in the position before moving on to lead three Centura Health hospitals in Colorado Springs.
The hospital system that owns Mercy underwent a rebranding during Mencini’s tenure. The two systems that merged to form Centura Health divorced last year, and Mercy transitioned from the Centura brand to the CommonSpirit name.
No information on an interim CEO has been released.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
