OSMH board chair re-elected, new board members welcomed

'The board’s top priority over the coming year will be to advance approvals and planning work for a new hospital in Orillia,' says re-elected board chair

Ligaya Byrch, centre, chair of the Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital board of directors, is shown with, from left, directors Terri McKinnon, Janice Burrows, Kelly Brownbill and James Williams.Photo supplied by Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital

NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
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Ligaya Byrch has been re-elected to a second term as chair of the board of directors of Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH).

Byrch was re-elected on Tuesday, June 27 at the board’s inaugural meeting that was held immediately after the corporation’s annual general meeting (AGM) held at the Orillia Recreation Centre. Originally elected to the board in 2018, she served three years as vice-chair before taking the helm in 2022.

“We continue to make tremendous progress as an organization as we emerge from the pandemic and build on the strength of community partnerships,” said Byrch, who has held senior leadership roles in health system planning.

“With community growth outpacing expectations, the board’s top priority over the coming year will be to advance approvals and planning work for a new hospital in Orillia,” said Byrch.

The vice-chair positions on the board will remain the same with Lawrence Pietras re-elected as first vice-chair and Peter Caldwell remaining as second vice-chair.

At the AGM, four new directors were approved by the corporate membership, including Kelly Brownbill, Dr. Janice Burrows, Terri McKinnon and James Williams. Brownbill had joined the board midway through last year, filling an existing vacancy. Incumbent directors Peter Caldwell, Dr. Sheila Clark and Ryan Spurgeon were all reappointed to new terms.

The corporation also took time to salute outgoing directors Leigh Popov (past board chair), Mario Benedetto, Ted Markle and Mark Lemieux.