Beebe Healthcare announces new board members and retirees

Beebe Healthcare’s board of directors announced two new directors as well as the retirement of many long-serving and dedicated board members.

Those retiring have dedicated a combined 65-plus years for Beebe. They are Gregory A. Bahtiarian, DO (January 2015 to October 2021); James W. Bartle (October 2014-21); Wilson C. Choy, MD (March 2015 to October 2021); Frank Czerwinski (October 2014 to July 2021); David A. Herbert (October 2012-21); Janet B. McCarty (October 1994-2021); and Michael L. Wilgus (October 2007 to August 2021).

Herbert joined the board of directors in October 2012. He became vice chair in May 2016 and chairman in October 2017. He became involved with Beebe as a community member on the quality and safety committee and root cause analysis committee in April 2007. His past experience includes serving as a leader of DuPont’s consulting division on safety, which meant working with more than 100 major corporations around the world in the areas of quality and safety.

He also helped lead the search for Beebe’s new President & CEO Dr. David Tam, and has been chair during the healthcare system’s largest expansion in its 105-year history.

“My time on the board of directors and as chairman have been rewarding to help Sussex County’s healthcare provider grow with the region,” Herbert said. “I leave knowing that Beebe is in good hands with this experienced board and under the leadership of Dr. David Tam and his leadership team.”

The board also voted on officers for the next year, which include: Terry A. Megee, chair; Michael A. Meoli, vice chair; David A. Tam, MD, secretary; and Christopher J. Weeks, treasurer.

Megee takes over as board chair for Herbert and has served on the board since 2014. He is president of Floyd A. Megee Motor Company in Georgetown and a second-generation Megee car dealer. He has vast business experience and a longtime love of Sussex County. He also serves on the boards of Fulton Bank Delaware and the Delaware Auto & Truck Dealers Association.

He was president of the Georgetown Boys & Girls Club from 2002 to 2011 and served as vice president of the Georgetown Little League for 10 years. He also served on the Indian River school board and as chair of the trustees for Grace United Methodist Church.

“It’s a great honor to hold the title of board chair of such a historic organization who has seen great leaders,” Megee said. “I want to thank all of the retiring board members for their service and for the opportunity to work alongside them during my time. I am excited for the future of Beebe Healthcare and Sussex County.”

Meoli joined the board in 2016 and was elected vice chair at the annual meeting. He chaired the compensation committee for several years and will chair the governance committee. Meoli is well known on Delmarva, as well as in the national restaurant industry. He has been a McDonald’s franchisee for 25-plus years. He owns and operates 14 restaurants and employs approximately 800 crew members, managers and mid-level supervisors and office personnel.

He has served as a board member for the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce and on the Downstate Advisory Board for WSFS Bank. He was appointed to the National McDonald’s System Economics Team.

Weeks holds a degree in architecture. For more than a decade, he has served as the business development manager for Becker Morgan Group, a full-service architecture and engineering firm based in Dover.

Weeks has served as director of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary and the First State Military Academy, and is director of Sussex Economic Development Action Committee. He was appointed to the board in October 2016 and elected treasurer in October 2020; he will continue to serve in that capacity.

One of the longest-serving retiring members is Janet McCarty, who was the first and only female board chair from 2005-10, and also served on the Beebe Medical Foundation board of directors from 2001-20. McCarty was integral in the planning of Beebe’s centennial celebration as well.

Gregory A. Bahtiarian, DO, joined the board in 2015 as a well-established member of the local medical community with Mid-Atlantic Family Practice. He has served on both the Beebe Medical Foundation board and the Greater Lewes Foundation board. He was an original member of the Delmarva Health Network Board when it was formed in 2013 and has served as chief of Family Medicine at Beebe.

James W. Bartle served Beebe as vice president/chief financial officer from 1988 until his retirement in 2012. He joined the board in 2014. During his tenure as CFO, Beebe experienced tremendous growth and success. Most notably, Bartle was responsible for managing several bond issues that helped finance the clinical building on Savannah Road in 1995, supported the development of the Beebe Health Campus in 2003, and facilitated opening the Hudson Wing on Savannah Road in 2008.

Wilson Choy, MD, joined the board in 2015 as an active member of the Beebe medical staff since 1996. He has greatly contributed to the development of Beebe’s award-winning orthopaedic program. He has helped Beebe’s joint replacement programs earn national recognition as well as certifications from the Joint Commission.

Frank Czerwinski joined in 2014 as an entrepreneur who brought decades of business and finance experience to Beebe. He had served on the finance committee for Beebe Healthcare and supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the VFW and the Little Free Library Organization.

Michael L. Wilgus joined the board in 2007 as one of the premier real estate leaders on Delmarva. A lifetime resident of Bethany Beach, he was also past president of both the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company. Currently, he sits on the advisory board of the Friends of South Coastal Library.

The two members joining the board are Sara M. Larch and Matthew R. Lukasiak, both of Rehoboth Beach.

Larch has more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including executive experience as chief operating officer at University of Maryland’s 900-physician practice, vice president of Inova Health System in Virginia, and eight years at Deloitte Consulting as a managing director and national leader of their Physician Enterprise practice. She has authored numerous articles and books, served on national boards, is a fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives and speaks on women leadership topics.

“I'm very excited to join Beebe's board of directors,” Larch said. “I look forward to the opportunity to help improve healthcare for our community.”

Lukasiak has served on Beebe’s Quality and Safety Committee for the past three years. He brings 20 years of experience in nonprofit healthcare human resources and organizational development to his work with Beebe as well as previous experience in financial services and education. Lukasiak played key executive roles at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., and at Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring, Md.

“I am delighted to support the mission of Beebe Healthcare,” Lukasiak said. “It is an anchor institution for our area, led by a committed executive team and a dedicated group of front-line care providers.” His experience includes service on multiple boards and brings a focus on employees, quality and governance to Beebe.

“Beebe Healthcare and Sussex County are growing together,” said Dr. David A. Tam, Beebe Healthcare president & CEO. “The board, and many of its retiring members, had the vision to embark on Beebe’s largest expansion in its long history. I’m grateful for them and to be here as Beebe’s president and CEO of your local community nonprofit health system. Beebe and Sussex County have an exciting future ahead.”

To learn more, go to beebehealthcare.org.