WELLSVILLE, NY (November 5, 2020) – Jones Memorial Hospital has announced that after four decades in healthcare, President/CEO Eva Benedict will be retiring in July 2021.
Mrs. Benedict has served as CEO since 2007. The hospital
board of directors has appointed a search committee that will work with UR
Medicine leadership to conduct a national search to fill her position.
“Throughout her career – and most especially since she has
been CEO – Eva has provided visionary leadership needed to ensure the future of
local healthcare services,” said Rich Ewell, president of the hospital board of
directors, noting that it was under Mrs. Benedict’s tenure that Jones Memorial
Hospital became an affiliate of UR Medicine.
“A staunch advocate for rural health care, Eva has dedicated
a nearly 40-year career to supporting the patients of the Southern Tier
Region,” said Steven I. Goldstein, senior vice president of the University of
Rochester Medical Center who oversees UR Medicine regional hospitals, and
president and CEO of Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals. “She has worked
tirelessly to build a strong health system, a legacy that will continue to
provide high-quality services for the community well into the future. In her 14
years as CEO, and as a strong component of the UR Medicine system over the last
five, she will be missed. We look forward to working with the Jones Board of
Directors to find an individual who will continue Eva’s efforts.”
During her time as CEO Mrs. Benedict has been successful in
recruiting a number of talented leaders and medical staff. Working collaboratively with UR Medicine, a
number of specialty clinics have also been added to the medical care available
locally. Specialty care brought to the
region under Mrs. Benedict’s leadership includes cancer care, with oncology
clinics and infusion centers in Wellsville and Olean.
Mrs. Benedict led the intensive two-year effort that
resulted in Jones Memorial Hospital being awarded a $17 million Healthcare
Facility Transformation Grant in 2019. The grant will help secure Jones
Memorial’s long-term viability by funding capital improvements that enable
Jones to better serve the community. Among the elements of the project are the
expansion and modernization of the surgical services suite and an initiative to
integrate behavioral health and primary care.
An area of special emphasis during her tenure as CEO was the
education of elected representatives about the unique role and the special
challenges faced by rural community hospitals. Mrs. Benedict was recognized for
this commitment to rural health at the state and national levels.
In 2018, she received the American Hospital Association’s
Grassroots Champion Award in recognition of her effective, persistent advocacy
before the United States Congress and her work with the New York State
Congressional Delegation to advance federal policies that enable rural and
small community hospitals to deliver innovative and patient-centered care
throughout the state. In August 2020 she was honored by Senator George M.
Borrello as a 2020 New York State 57th Senate District “Woman of Distinction”
for her extraordinary achievements and dedication to preserving health-care
quality and access for the community.
Most recently, Jones Memorial received the Healthcare
Association of New York State 2020 Community Health Improvement Award. The award recognized the organization’s
commitment to improving the wellness of our community. Recognizing that the hospital did not have
the resources to dedicate to needed community wellness initiatives, Mrs.
Benedict promoted the proceeds from the RidgeWalk & Run and the GLOW 5K Run
& Walk be dedicated for these purposes.
Eva and her husband, Neil, live in Wellsville and have two married daughters, Meghan (Aaron) Peters and Jillian (Matthew) Vilasi. Both are CPA’s working in the accounting field in Washington, DC. Eva and Neil have five beautiful grandchildren. After her retirement Eva and her husband plan to relocate to Virginia where they will be closer to their daughters and their families.
