New CEO for Brockville General Hospital

In this Thursday, May 18, 2017 photo provided by BGH, Nicholas Vlacholias has been named the CEO of the Brockville General Hospital. (BGH via Newswatch Group)

BROCKVILLE – There’s a new chief executive officer for the Brockville General Hospital.

Nicholas Vlacholias has accepted the position as president and CEO of the hospital, effective July 17, provincial supervisor Kevin Empey announced Tuesday.

Vlacholias has over 20 years of experience with a “solid financial background” – most recently as the senior vice president and CFO of CHEO in Ottawa.

Prior to CHEO, he was the chief operating officer (COO) of the Cornwall Community Hospital.

Vlacholias was chosen after a “robust recruitment process” which saw applicants from across Canada, the hospital explained.

Vlacholias will be in familiar territory to start off, as he shadows Acting President and CEO, Jeanette Despatie — a former Cornwall colleague — during his transition period.

Brockville General Hospital has been in a state of financial turmoil since July 2016 after the hospital parted ways with then-CEO Tony Weeks.

A provincial supervisor, Kevin Empey, was appointed and a recovery team was hired shortly after to whip the hospital back into financial shape.

At one point in September 2016, the hospital had to get a $5.3 million loan from the Local Health Integration Network to meet its obligations. That was on top of dealing with its $4.2 million deficit in 2016.