Borough Park

Maimonides President Pamela Brier to step down

August 19, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Pamela Brier will retire in 2016. Photo courtesy of Maimonides Medical Center
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In a bombshell development, Maimonides Medical Center announced on Wednesday that Pamela Brier, the hospital’s president and CEO, will retire at the beginning of 2016 after leading the institution for 20 years.

Brier will be succeeded by Kenneth D. Gibbs, who is currently the chair of the Maimonides Board of Trustees. Gibbs will step down as chair to assume his new role. The succession plan was unanimously approved at a recent meeting of the board, according to a press release issued by Maimonides.

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“I’ve been thinking about my next act for a while now,” Brier said in a statement. “Having Ken Gibbs take on this role is good timing and good sense. Ken has excelled in a long career in public finance, and his life has been distinguished by a focus on public service, making him a perfect fit for the job. It was our mission that first attracted Ken to Maimonides Medical Center, and I know he will do an outstanding job building on our successes. Fortunately for Ken, he not only has a superb chief operating officer in Dominick Stanzione, but also an exceptional team.”

The announcement of Brier’s retirement came as Maimonides Medical Center, located at 4802 10th Ave. in Borough Park, finalized its plans to enter into a strategic partnership with North Shore-LIJ Health System. Discussions between the two health care institutions had been ongoing since they were first announced in February.

North Shore-LIJ and Maimonides will pursue a full integration in a phased approach that will begin immediately with a comprehensive strategic partnership, according to officials.

Maimonides will continue to operate as a full-service, tertiary and teaching hospital, officials said.

North Shore-LIJ will work with Maimonides in enlarging its ambulatory network of clinical services. In addition, North Shore-LIJ will provide Maimonides with capital resources and access to its extensive infrastructure and expertise, enabling the Brooklyn hospital’s management to make investments while continuing to improve operating efficiencies, according to officials.

Brier joined Maimonides Medical Center in 1995 as the COO and executive vice president, becoming president and CEO in 2003.

Prior to that, she served for more than 15 years at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation as the chief financial officer and executive vice president and as the executive director of Jacobi Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center.

Brier has worked in health care for more than 35 years in New York. She currently serves on the New York City Board of Health and the Board of the Partnership for Quality Care. She was the vice chair of the Board of NY e-Health Collaborative, chair of the Board of Housing Works, and served on the New York City Board of Corrections.  

“There is no one quite like Pam Brier,” said Gibbs. “It is impossible to count the number of lives she has touched as the extraordinary leader of Maimonides Medical Center, working tirelessly alongside a dedicated staff.’

Under Brier’s leadership, the hospital has gained a national reputation as one of the top 10 hospitals in the U.S. for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia treatment.

During her tenure, Maimonides established Brooklyn’s only full-service Cancer and Breast Centers; the Payson Birthing Center; a new nine-floor patient care pavilion and the city’s first hybrid operating room. 

Gibbs joined the Board of Trustees at Maimonides Medical Center in May 2013 and a year later assumed the chairmanship of the board. He led Maimonides through the complex process of selecting North Shore-LIJ as the partner for the institution, working with senior leadership at both institutions as well as a broad spectrum of internal and external stakeholders. 

For the past six years, Gibbs has served as president of the Municipal Securities Group at Jefferies, LLC in New York City. He will step down from this position before becoming president and CEO of Maimonides.

As news of Brier’s retirement plans spread, tributes to her began to pour in.

“I congratulate my dear friend Pamela Brier on her retirement as president and CEO of Maimonides Medical Center,” said Brooklyn Chamber President and CEO Carlo Scissura. “Through Pam’s distinguished and influential career, and over 35 years of leadership, she has transformed Maimonides Medical Center into a world-class institution, positively affecting the lives of thousands.”


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