Rutland Regional Medical Center, the largest community hospital in Vermont, announced on Friday that its board of directors named Judi Fox as president and CEO.
Fox has been the hospital’s interim president and CEO since November 2022, when Claudio Fort resigned. She previously served as the hospital’s treasurer and chief financial officer for seven years, and has worked there for more than 33 years.
“It is truly a privilege to serve Rutland Regional Medical Center as President and CEO,” Fox said in a written statement. “I look forward to working collaboratively with our Board of Directors, physicians, leaders, and staff to ensure that our patients continue to have access to timely high-quality care while maintaining Rutland Regional’s reputation as a great place to work.”
The 144-bed medical center has 256 people on its medical staff with a total of 1,700 employees. It serves primarily the western part of southern and central Vermont, along with eastern New York State.
In recent months, Fox has led collaborative efforts with physicians and the hospital’s leadership team, working to address financial and staffing challenges, the statement said.
“Judi was selected through a rigorous process that considered dozens of well-qualified individuals,” Joe Kraus, chair of the hospital’s CEO search committee, said in the statement. “The process was very structured and focused on skill sets, critical thinking ability, emotional strengths, and leadership skills.”
Fox was the unanimous recommendation of the search committee, Kraus added.
The committee considered several dozen candidates and interviewed six, according to hospital spokesperson Rowan L. Muelling-Auer. Fox was one of three finalists in the selection process, she said.
The CEO position entails developing and implementing the medical center’s vision and strategy, identifying future collaboration opportunities and overseeing the organization’s operations, Muelling-Auer said.
In addition to her role at Rutland Regional, Fox is on the board of directors for Brattleboro Retreat and the United Way of Rutland County. She also serves on the Board and Finance Committee of OneCare Vermont.
She participates in numerous organizations, including the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, and several workgroups on Vermont’s vision for health care payment reform.
