Mount Nittany Health CEO announces retirement

Steve Brown will will retire as Mount Nittany Health’s president and CEO Nov. 1, according to a release.

Brown has served in the roles since 2010.

“This has been a dream job for me,” Brown said. “My 40 years in health care, and especially the last six years here in State College, have been richly rewarding and deeply fulfilling on both a personal and professional level. Working together, our board, employees, medical staff and volunteers have pursued a unique vision of what community health care can be when we focus on the patient, and have created a model organization based on that, as a leading health care provider for our region.”

Brown will work “closely” with the Mount Nittany Health board to assist the health system in a search for his successor, according to board Chairman James Thomas.

An executive search firm will also be hired to work with a search committee.

“In Steve Brown, we have a great and trusted friend, but also a health care leader who has spearheaded Mount Nittany Health through a tremendous period of growth,” Thomas said. “His leadership has enabled us to accomplish what most hospitals and health systems have only dreamed about. At the same time, we are extremely pleased that Steve has agreed to assist the board with the national search for the next executive of the health system.”

Mount Nittany Health expanded under Brown’s watch to cover six counties and about 500,000 people.

He was also named the 2015 Renaissance Fund honoree in November for his work to expand health care opportunities in central Pennsylvania and for his involvement with things like Centre Crest, the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County, Centre County United Way campaign and State College Rotary.

“That’s our business,” Brown told the Centre Daily Times. “We’re a community trust. People trust their families to us. It’s important that they understand what we do. ... It’s sort of my philosophy, I want people to be comfortable and confident in Mount Nittany Health. The more I’m out there talking to people and the more we bring the community into the facility, the better off the community will be.”

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Mount Nittany Health CEO announces retirement."