HOULTON, Maine — After overseeing much of the hospital’s operations in the past several months, including through the COVID-19 pandemic, Shawn Anderson has officially taken the reins as CEO of Houlton Regional Hospital, effective June 1.
“Shawn’s enthusiasm, leadership style and expertise are exactly what we are looking for,” said hospital Board President Lynette Mclaughlin in a press release. “On behalf of the board and myself, we are looking forward to working with Shawn in meeting the health care needs of all the communities served by Houlton Regional Hospital.”
Anderson takes over from the previous CEO, Tom Moakler, who hired Anderson to be director of operations at HRH in 2018, with plans to eventually succeed Moakler following his retirement.
Previously, Anderson, a Caribou native, served for 15 years as chief operating officer at Cary Medical Center in Caribou.
Anderson said one of his first plans as CEO is to initiate a “Summer Listening Tour” where he will meet with other local business and community leaders to gain a better understanding of how the hospital is meeting patient needs and how to better partner with communities in Southern Aroostook County.
“It’s really important that I hear from the voice of the customer and and the voice of the community,” said Anderson. “From there, we can build a plan to move forward to improve things where improvement is needed, and to solidify things where we’re already solid.”
Anderson’s stint as director of operations included leading the hospital in preparation for COVID-19, such as handling the first such case in The County. But Anderson said handling the pandemic has given him greater insight into what needs to be done to lead the hospital.
“I think many hospital leaders would agree that this has been this generation’s healthcare challenge,” he said. “What has solidified for me is that we’ve got a team of individuals at Houlton Regional that are, simply put, second to none.”
Anderson also said the pandemic has caused many physicians to consider working in rural areas, which would allow for easier recruitment of new physicians to the hospital.
“Recruitment for us never stops,” he said. “It’s a constant process. We never stop seeking quality providers to come to our area.”
Anderson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, and Master of Business Administration and Management from Husson University.
