McLaren Northern Michigan names Gar Atchison as next CEO
PETOSKEY — McLaren Northern Michigan has named its next President and Chief Executive Officer, Gar Atchison.
McLaren Health Care and the McLaren Northern Michigan Board of Trustees named Atchison after a national search to find the next leader of the Petoskey-based healthcare system.
The search was conducted in coordination with McLaren Health Care, McLaren Northern Michigan executive leadership, medical staff members, and the McLaren Northern Michigan Board of Trustees.
Expected to start in late November, Atchison will pick up the role from Chad Grant, is acting as interim President of McLaren Northern Michigan. Grant is McLaren Health Care's Chief Operating Officer.
“Through its broad range of services, both those provided at the hospital and through its network of outpatient facilities, and its ability to create access to care throughout the region, McLaren Northern Michigan is a vital asset to the northern Michigan community,” Grant said in a press release. “With his impressive leadership experience and history in northern Michigan, Gar and the McLaren Northern Michigan team are well positioned to serve the many needs of the region now and for years to come.”
Atchison previously worked as the financial operations manager at Northern Michigan Hospital — what the organization he now leads was known as prior to it joining McLaren Health Care.
“This is a full-circle moment for me, and I’m thrilled to be coming home,” Atchison said in the release. “I have deep roots in Petoskey, and, with family and loved ones throughout northern Michigan, I am personally invested in the care and wellbeing of these communities. I am excited to be joining this excellent team of doctors and staff members routinely recognized for its quality and safety.”
Most recently, he has served as the regional president and CEO of the UP Health System. He's bringing more than 30 years of health care leadership experience to the role, along with a familiarity of the communities and needs of northern Michigan.
After leaving Northern Michigan Hospital, he worked as the administrator of a Petoskey-based orthopedic practice before holding different positions — including Vice President of Business Development, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer — at the Frye Medical Center, a 355-bed comprehensive provider based in Hickory, North Carolina.
“In meeting with Gar, it was clearly evident that he is a dynamic and confident leader with a deep understanding and warmth for the region,” Dennis Hesselink, McLaren Northern Michigan Board of Trustees Board Chair, said in the release. “With his experience and a career filled with accomplishments, we are confident Gar’s leadership will guide McLaren Northern Michigan toward continued growth and success.”
Atchison earned a degree in financial management from the University of North Dakota. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Lake Superior State University. He's also a fellow with the American College of Medical Practice Executives and a member of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association Board of Trustees.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gar Atchison named McLaren Northern Michigan's next CEO
