Yuma Hospital District Begins CFO Search Again After Recent Resignation

Yuma Hospital District is conducting its second chief financial officer search in less than a year after Mark Roberts resigned following a short tenure in the role. Colette Martin, who previously served as interim CFO after long-time CFO Rick Korf resigned last summer, has again stepped into the position on an interim basis while the district searches for a permanent replacement.

The YHD Board of Directors addressed the vacancy at its regular monthly meeting in the Pearse Board Room at Yuma District Hospital, where all five board members were present: President Mitch Korf, Delaina Klein, Mark Werts, Monica King and Liz Hickman. No timeline or details about the CFO search process were disclosed at the meeting.

The board also accepted the Quality Summary Update on a unanimous 5-0 vote. An internal quality inspection identified a few items requiring attention, with updates estimated to cost between $40,000 and $50,000. No breakdown of the specific items or a funding source was provided.

John Westfall, MD, a family medicine physician, was reappointed to the medical staff. The board also approved the Medical Staff Directors List, which confirmed Dr. John Glick and Dr. Matt Nowland as Co-Chiefs of Staff. Under the approved list, Dr. Charles Frankum leads Surgical Services; Dr. Nowland oversees Trauma, the ER, Med Surg and Swing Bed; and Dr. Glick holds an extensive portfolio covering Rehab Services, Cardiac Therapy, Home Health Care, Respiratory Therapy, Employee Health and several other areas, as well as internal lab oversight paired with Dr. Mariel Maseburg on external lab. Dr. Alexander Blitch takes on Hospital Quality, the Policy Committee, Diagnostic Image Services and Med Students, while Dr. Todd McLaughlin covers Hospital Quality, Infection Prevention, and serves as both AMS Physician Lead and Clinic Medical Director.

The district is also preparing for a physician vacancy at the Akron Clinic, where Dr. Caitlin Ahern plans to retire this year. Kreutzer told the board the district is actively recruiting a replacement. The district is also working to add specialty services, though that process is not yet complete. Marketing efforts will concentrate on surgical services, with a specific outreach push targeting Spanish-speaking residents.

Board member Mark Werts raised several concerns brought to him by staff and community members, though the specifics of those concerns were not detailed in the meeting discussion.

The CFO instability comes as the district navigates multiple operational transitions simultaneously, from physician recruitment in Akron to an evolving specialty services lineup. Whether Colette Martin will remain in the interim role through the duration of the search has not been announced.