Kief leaving NUMC post

Taking position in Wisconsin

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Brian Kief, New Ulm Medical Center's administrator for the past three years, is leaving to become chief executive officer at Howard Young Health Care Medical Center in Minocqua/ Woodruff, Wis.

Kief's resignation was announced Friday by NUMC's Board of Trustees.

"We are grateful to Brian for his energetic leadership of NUMC over the last three years," Board Chairman Steve Spilman said. "Under Brian's guidance, we have made significant improvements in quality of care, operations and strategic planning. Although many of us will feel a personal loss, the groundwork has been laid to achieve further improvements in our service to the community."

Spilman pointed to Kief's role in leading a "highly successful capital campaign" which is nearing its goal of $1.25 million. Spilman also credited Kief with leading an effort "to improve the financial performance of the medical center" and in supporting the center's mission of providing "exceptional health care to the residents of New Ulm."

"While leaving NUMC was a difficult decision to make, the position with Howard Young Health Care is a wonderful opportunity for my family and me as this career advancement allows us to move closer to family in Wisconsin," Kief said.

Kief will oversee the operation of two hospitals and a nursing home in Minocqua/Woodruff and Eagle River, near the Michigan border.

The keystone is the 99-bed Howard Young Medical Center hospital, with the 65-bed Dr. Kate Convalescence Center attached, at Woodruff and the 25-bed Eagle River Memorial Hospital some 25 miles to the East.

It's all part of Ministry Health Care which, along with the Ministry Medical Group in nearby Rhinelander, makes up the Catholic Health Care System sponsored by Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a hospital spokesperson said.

While the area served by the health care facilities has only about 5,000 permanent residents, "we have a tremendous influx of visitors during the summer and winter from Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis. The population increases 10-fold to about 50,000 in summer with all the summer residences around here."

Kief's last day in his present position as NUMC president is June 21. An interim administrator soon will be appointed by the board, a NUMC spokesperson said. The search for a new administrator will follow with the selection process expected to be complete "by the beginning of 2003."