Werft to step down as Cottage Health CEO
Ron Werft, the man who has helmed Santa Barbara-based Cottage Health for nearly three decades, has announced that he will be stepping down as president and CEO in 2025.
Announced July 29, Werft has served as Cottage Health’s president and CEO for the past 24 years. He has worked at Cottage Health for 37 years.
Cottage Health was first formed in 1996 and serves as the not-for-profit parent organization of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and the affiliated Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital.
Under Werft’s leadership, Cottage has grown to become a regional healthcare system, helping Cottage expand into services such as trauma care, neurosciences, cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, psychiatry and other regional services.
“The opportunity to lead Cottage Health has been and continues to be a joy, privilege, and honor,” said Werft said in a press release.
“Cottage is an extraordinary organization, and every day I see why – it’s an incredible team of employees, physicians, executives, board members, donors and volunteers who are always working to make Cottage even better. They carry forward Cottage’s 132-year legacy of caring in our community.” Cottage Health will begin a national search for Mr. Werft’s successor, to continue his strong stewardship of the community’s independent, not-for-profit healthcare system with a commitment to quality, patient- centered care and improving health throughout the region.
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