ROCKPORT — Pen Bay Healthcare’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Wade Johnson announced his personal decision to resign his post at Pen Bay Healthcare, according to a news release from Pen Bay Healthcare. Johnson will be leaving in mid-April for an opportunity in Idaho.

“On behalf of the Pen Bay Healthcare Board of Trustees, I would like to express our gratitude to Wade for his thoughtful leadership and dedication to Pen Bay and the Midcoast community over these past few years,” said Everett Spear, III, Pen Bay Healthcare Board of Trustees chairman, in the release. “Pen Bay Healthcare is stronger due to Wade’s and the senior executive team’s leadership. We wish him the best of success as he pursues his career goals.”

During his tenure, Johnson has lead the organization’s comprehensive strategic planning process, developed a series of quality improvement initiatives that have proven successful, and provided oversight to a set of efforts aimed at reducing the cost of healthcare delivery in the Midcoast, the release said.

The Pen Bay Healthcare Board of Trustees, medical staff and executive team will continue to collaborate to accomplish the goals outlined in the strategic plan and to lead Pen Bay forward during this time of transition.

A search committee consisting of community board members and medical staff leadership will be formed to conduct a national search for Pen Bay Healthcare’s next president and chief executive officer.

“Wade has developed a highly competent executive leadership team, and the Board will work with this team and the leaders of the medical staff to develop appropriate transition plans to ensure leadership continuity and interim management during the next few weeks,” Spear said.

Before arriving in Rockport in 2011, Johnson was CEO of a Weiser, Idaho, hospital. He replaced former Pen Bay Healthcare CEO Roy Hitchings, who retired after more than 13 years in the position.  

Pen Bay Healthcare is a not-for-profit organization that includes Pen Bay Medical Center, Pen Bay Physicians & Associates, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, Quarry Hill Retirement Community and the Knox Center for Long Term Care.

Pen Bay Healthcare is a not-for-profit family of services that includes Pen Bay Medical Center, Pen Bay Physicians and Associates, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, Quarry Hill Retirement Community and the Knox Center for Long Term Care. Pen Bay Healthcare is a member of the MaineHealth system. For more information, visit penbayhealthcare.org.