New board chairs share aligned goals

Carol Anne Esnard and Dave Perley both believe in giving back to their local communities. As the new Board Chairs of the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH) and Almonte General Hospital (AGH) respectively, they plan to work together to ensure their communities have the very best care close to home.

“I love living in Beckwith and I want to be involved,” explains Carol Anne. “Being on the CPDMH Board has been an incredible experience and I’ve learned so much about health care and my community.”  Carol Anne retired in 2015. Most recently, she was the Chief Administrative Officer at Genome Canada. Carol Anne has held a number of executive positions over her career, mostly in the not-for-profit sector.

Dave Perley shares Carol Anne’s love of the local community: “I was relatively new to the area when I joined the AGH Board and I wanted to expand my network, meet some new people and make a difference. I sure haven’t been disappointed.”  Dave is a retired Hewlett Packard executive with over 30 years in the high-tech industry. He is a frequent lecturer at Algonquin College in the areas of business, marketing, and leadership skills. Throughout his career, he has also volunteered with not-for-profit associations.

Both Carol Anne and Dave say their goals are aligned, focused on improving care through the further advancement of the Mississippi River Health Alliance and a joint clinical service plan for the two hospitals. “Aligning strategic plans and integrating select services is leading to greater efficiencies and innovations in our delivery of care. We are excited to see what the future holds as this collaboration evolves,” says Carol Anne. “We want to build on the great work that has been done already and ensure we are aligned at the Board level too,” adds Dave. “1 + 1 definitely equals 3.”

Each hospital is also planning a major infrastructure project in the coming years with the new Emergency Department in Carleton Place and expanded Diagnostic Imaging services in Almonte, including an application for a new CT Scanner. “We are all looking forward to completing the Emergency Department planning process and getting the shovel in the ground,” says Carol Anne. “Approval of the CT Scan application will be a major achievement for health care in our area,” notes Dave.

President and CEO Mary Wilson Trider says she is proud to be working alongside both Boards of Directors: “Our local communities are very supportive, and these committed volunteers bring diverse skills, expertise, and community knowledge. Congratulations to Carol Anne and Dave on their new roles.”

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Author: Hometown News