New CEO announced at Royal Victoria in Barrie

BARRIE, Ont. – The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Gail Hunt (pictured) as the health centre’s new president and chief executive officer, effective July 4. Gail is an experienced, high-performing hospital executive and team builder. She is currently the president and CEO of Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) in Midland and will succeed Janice Skot, who is retiring after more than 17 years at the helm.

“The board is confident Gail has the outstanding leadership qualities, depth of experience and strong values to lead RVH at this pivotal time. RVH has worked closely with Gail on many successful initiatives and we’ve been impressed by her vision, collaboration and commitment to excellence. She is very familiar with RVH and understands the healthcare needs, challenges and partners in Simcoe-Muskoka,” said Charlotte Wallis, chair, RVH board of directors, who led the selection process. “Gail shares RVH’s commitment to high-quality, safe, patient-centred care and will advocate for the resources RVH needs to expand and meet the needs of our growing region.”

Gail Hunt brings to RVH over 20 years’ experience as a healthcare CEO and has earned a reputation for achieving results and inspiring others. Prior to her current posting, she spent 16 years as the CEO of Chapleau Health Services in northern Ontario, a provider that managed all aspects of healthcare delivery, including primary, acute and long-term care.

She is a decisive, approachable, collaborative leader who is passionate about building strong partnerships and high-performing teams. During her tenure at GBGH she worked to transform the organization’s culture, expand surgical services, launch a new strategic plan, and developed an unwavering focus on quality, financial sustainability, data-driven decision making and continuous learning. Under her leadership, GBGH achieved the highest possible accreditation rating in 2019.

Former chair of the Simcoe County Hospital Alliance, Gail is a strong supporter of integrated care and, in fact, RVH and GBGH have a long-standing and successful partnership, which includes many initiatives, such as RVH providing responsibility for GBGH’s quality, risk and privacy, echocardiography services, and information technology services, a review of GBGH’s ICU, decision support assistance and the temporary dual appointment of RVH’s chief of staff, Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg, as interim GBGH chief of staff.

Through Gail’s government advocacy, GBGH was successful in securing additional base funding and working capital adjustments, completed a number of major capital projects and submitted GBGH’s Stage 1 master plan submission for a new hospital.

“RVH is a dynamic, growing health centre that the entire region counts on for its highly specialized services, advanced technology and highly skilled experts. It’s an honour to join this organization and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside its exceptional employees, credentialed staff and volunteers as the organization pursues its ambitious capital plans,” she said.

With a master’s in business administration and an honours bachelor of commerce degree from Laurentian University, Gail makes fiscal responsibility a high priority.

According to Wallis, “This is a key time for RVH as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to support our staff and physicians through a very difficult time.

“At the same time, RVH is making remarkable progress on its capital expansion plans. We know Gail is anxious to continue working with Team RVH, government, our community and donors as we prepare to double the size of the current campus, while developing the future south campus in Innisfil.”

Hunt will work closely with Skot in the coming months to ensure a smooth and seamless leadership transition, as Skot prepares to retire at the end of June. In the meantime, Hunt, mother to four adult children, and avid yoga and jiu-jitsu enthusiast, intends to eventually relocate to the Barrie area with her three goldendoodles.

“Like all hospitals, RVH is a source of pride for Barrie and the surrounding areas,” Gail said. “I look forward to getting to know this community that holds RVH in such high regard. RVH has been a leader in the planning, delivery and expansion of health services in Simcoe-Muskoka for decades. The reason this health centre has been so successful in achieving its strategic goals is the team of dedicated professionals who work and practise at RVH. I am so honoured to have been selected to lead Team RVH and, together, we’ll continue to make care better for patients and the community.”