ST. CROIX — The head of the financial unit at the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center has resigned, but a former employee is filling the void until the hospital hires a chief financial officer, ideally someone who would oversee the finances of both territorial hospitals, according to the territorial hospital board chair.
Christopher Lewis, who served as senior vice president of Financial Services at JFL, resigned a few days ago, Chris Finch, territorial hospital board chair, said.
“I’m not sure the exact date that he put on the letter,” Finch said. “That would have to come from the hospital.”
Attempts to contact JFL’s interim chief executive officer, Hazel Philbert, and public information officer, Aniah John, were unsuccessful, and messages were not returned as of publication time.
Lewis worked at the hospital for seven years, beginning as an accountant in January 2018 before transitioning to comptroller nine months later, according to his LinkedIn profile. After three years as comptroller, Lewis became vice president of Finance and Accounting in July 2021. He served as senior vice president of Financial Services from October 2022 until his resignation.
Rosalie Javois, a former employee who led the hospital’s financial unit prior to her retirement, returned to the hospital this week to help while the hospital advertises to hire a CFO, Finch said.
“She’s just temporary while we’re doing a search,” he said, noting Javois previously returned to assist the hospital for several months under the leadership of former CEO Douglas Koch.
Koch resigned as the hospital’s CEO in July after serving in the position for two and a half years. Finch said Koch returned to the Midwest to be closer to his aging parents, who were frail and in need of stronger care.
READ MORE: “Douglas Koch resigns as JFL chief executive officer to return to Midwest to be closer to family”
Philbert, JFL chief operating officer for the past three and a half years, has served as the hospital’s interim CEO since July following Koch’s departure. She was among four hospital employees who applied for the interim CEO position.
The territorial hospital board selected a new chief executive officer in executive session during its monthly meeting held virtually on December 4 after interviewing 12 candidates, but the name of the person will not be announced until after accepting the job, Finch said.
“We’re still in negotiation with a CEO candidate,” he said.
While the board finalizes the hiring of a new CEO, the hospital recently advertised to hire a chief financial officer.
“We are looking both individually and potentially for a hospital system CFO that could fulfill the role for the whole system,” Finch said, clarifying the ideal candidate would be someone who could oversee the finances of JFL and Scheider Regional Medical Center, which includes Roy L. Schneider Hospital, Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center, and Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute.
While Lewis oversaw the finances at JFL, SRMC has a director of finance who is assuming those duties in collaboration with the CEO, Tina Comissiong, since the St. Thomas hospital does not have a chief financial officer.
Finch stressed the board’s desire to identify a candidate with the skill set to serve as the territorial hospital CFO, which would be something new for both hospitals.
“I’m not saying for sure that that’s absolutely the direction that we would end up going in, but if we found someone that could fulfill that role, it would be the first time,” he said.
Finch said the goal has been to create as much of a unified hospital system as possible.
“There’s strength in partnership so to speak,” he said. “Two very small systems become a stronger system to the extent that they can be combined.”
