McLEOD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 7 FEBRUARY 2011

(2/07/11) – McLeod Health is pleased to announce that Ronald L. Boring, FACHE, has joined the McLeod Health leadership team as Chief Operating Officer.

In his position, Mr. Boring will be responsible for completing the Vision 2015 strategic planning process for each of the McLeod service lines: McLeod Behavioral Health, McLeod Cancer Services, McLeod Children’s Hospital, McLeod Emergency and Trauma Services, McLeod Heart & Vascular Institute, McLeod Home Care – Home Health and Hospice, McLeod Medical Center Darlington, McLeod Medical Center Dillon, McLeod Medicine Services, McLeod Human Motion Specialists, McLeod Surgical Services, and McLeod Women’s Services.

"My initial priority within McLeod will be to establish relationships and learn the organization. I will help support the leadership team in service line planning initiatives such as oncology and support other strategic initiatives. On a more long-range basis, I hope to assist in building alliances with like-minded organizations that further the mission of McLeod in the region," added Mr. Boring.

Mr. Boring comes to McLeod Health from Plano, Texas, where he most recently served as a healthcare consultant focused on physician network planning. For sixteen years, he also served as President and CEO of Richardson Regional Medical Center in Richardson, Texas.

Mr. Boring’s affiliation with Richardson Medical Center began in 1980 as Director of Cardiopulmonary Services. Ten years later he was promoted to Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. He was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Richardson Medical Center in 1993.

During Mr. Boring’s tenure as President of Richardson Regional Medical Center, the hospital was honored by the Governor of Texas as the first healthcare organization to receive the Texas Award for Performance Excellence patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Richardson was also the first Texas hospital to reach Stage Two of the National Quality Award.

After completing 30 years in healthcare management, Mr. Boring decided to pursue a doctorate in health administration at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, South Carolina. "I chose to attend MUSC since it is one of the few schools in the country to offer an executive program. While starting school in 2010, I enjoyed visiting Charleston and began my pursuit to relocate my family to the Carolinas. I also had the opportunity to meet McLeod Health President Rob Colones in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was impressed with his values, his outlook on the healthcare industry, and his passion for excellence in clinical quality, safety, and service. I’m looking forward to working with the McLeod team," Mr. Boring said.

Mr. Boring’s experience with cancer programs includes the development of a Center of Excellence in comprehensive cancer care including a 47,000 square foot facility, the Lance Armstrong Shaped-Beam Program, an academic medical school affiliation with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and accreditation by the American College of Surgeons with commendation.

In the North Dallas area, he led the development of two free-standing cancer centers. According to Mr. Boring, "While serving as CEO of Baylor/Richardson Medical Center in 2001, we were fortunate to be one of the first facilities in North America to become an early adopter of stereotactic extracranial radiosurgery technology. We also developed the Lance Armstrong Radiosurgery Program, the only program of its kind that offered advanced cancer treatment and cancer survivorship services. The success of this program led to the development of a 47,000 square foot comprehensive cancer center in affiliation with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. This oncology affiliation offered medical, radiation, and surgical oncology service collaboration along with genetic counseling, medical research, education, and fundraising support.

"I’m pleased that McLeod is expanding its oncology service line, and I hope that my experience and knowledge in this area will serve to support the cancer services team," added Mr. Boring.

Mr. Boring’s educational background includes an Associate of Science degree in Respiratory Care from Tyler Junior College, in Tyler, Texas; a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas, Texas; a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from Amber University also in Dallas; and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Boring is also a Graduate of the Columbia Business School Senior Executive Program at Columbia University in New York, New York.

On relocating to Florence and South Carolina, Mr. Boring stated, "Coming from the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area with over 50 hospitals squeezed into a highly competitive market, I am impressed with the large 12 county area served by McLeod and its regional reach. The large size of the McLeod campus and affiliated entities is impressive as well. The current investments into renovations, expansion projects, and clinical technology are also significant. In addition, during my visits to McLeod, what caught my attention most of all was the strong leadership commitment to clinical excellence, as recognized by the American Hospital Association Quest for Quality Award. That commitment to Quality and the McLeod core values was palpable as I toured the facility."

Mr. Boring’s roots in healthcare also run deep as both of his parents worked at a hospital. "My mother is a registered nurse and my father and brother are family medicine physicians. They instilled a good work ethic early in my life, gave me valuable exposure to the various heath careers, and taught me that you are not serving a place by working in healthcare, but serving people. I enjoyed going on house calls with my father as a child, watching him practice medicine with only what he carried in his black bag, and caring for the underserved," added Mr. Boring. He also shares that his first job in healthcare was to assist with washing dishes in a hospital kitchen at the age of 13.

Mr. Boring and his family are looking forward to being involved in the community, building relationships and exploring the South Carolina beaches. He also enjoys spending time with his family as well as such hobbies as traveling, photography, cycling and mission work.

A native of McKinney, Texas, Mr. Boring and his wife, Kathy, an elementary school teacher, have two daughters, Amy, age 20, and Katie, age 8. The Borings were high school sweethearts and have been married for 25 years. Amy is currently a junior at the University of Texas, and Katie joined the family in 2002 from Kursk, Russia.