Diana Hendel Appointed CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Childrens Hospital

LONG BEACH, Calif., – Jan. 21, 2009 – Long Beach Memorial Medical Center COO, Diana Hendel, Pharm.D, has been appointed CEO of Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital. Hendel succeeds Terry A. Belmont, who resigned effective Jan. 15, 2009.

“We have selected an exceptional individual to serve as the new leader for our Long Beach campus,” says MemorialCare Medical Centers President and CEO Barry Arbuckle, PhD. “I look forward to working with Diana on completing the master hospital site plan and other strategic initiatives that will ensure Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital continue to provide high-quality health care for our community today and well into the future.”

Hendel has served as the COO of Long Beach Memorial for the past two years. Hendel began her career at Long Beach Memorial as a clinical pharmacy resident, where she stayed for 10 years before undertaking leadership roles throughout the MemorialCare Health System, including vice president of Anaheim Memorial, executive director for MemorialCare and the Physician Society and administrator for the San Clemente campus of Saddleback Memorial. Hendel received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from University of California, Irvine, and a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of California, San Francisco.

“I have proudly dedicated my entire professional career to the MemorialCare Health System and I am truly honored to be appointed CEO of such an outstanding institution,” says Hendel. “Throughout the past 100 years, physicians, nurses, employees and volunteers have built this campus into one of the nation’s top-rated not-for-profit medical centers. I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to continue this legacy.”

Hendel was selected following consideration of options by a committee of Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s governance boards, medical leadership and executive management.

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s Hospital are part of the MemorialCare Health System. An innovator in health care delivery, MemorialCare focuses on evidence-based, best practice medicine. Its physicians and health care professionals study health care's best practices and outcomes frequently exceed state and national averages. The MemorialCare Health System includes Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills and San Clemente.