DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Kettering Health has chosen a new person to lead the company after the former chief executive officer announced his retirement.

Michael Gentry has been chosen as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Kettering Health, according to a release. Gentry was the chief operating officer (COO) at Sentara Healthcare, which is headquartered in Virginia.

The new CEO has been a board chair and member in Virginia and was even named a Top 25 COO in the US by the group called Modern Healthcare. He has experience as a CEO as Gentry served as the president and CEO for AdventHealth’s Memorial System in Florida.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to join the Kettering Health team, an organization with a long and rich tradition of blending innovative care and Christ-centered compassion to foster health, hope, and healing,” Gentry said. “I look forward to collaborating with the dedicated physicians and team members that work tirelessly to improve care for the people we serve.”

Fred Manchur was the previous CEO of the health organization, but retired on December 31, 2022, according to another release. Manchur worked with Kettering Health for 21 years.

The healthcare group searched for the new CEO for a total of five months before Gentry was chosen. Celeste Blyden is the chair of the Kettering Health Membership and Board of Directors and says the organization believes Gentry will be a good fit for everyone.

“Through our in-depth search and interview process, I’ve come to learn that Michael possesses great leadership acumen, deep respect for the Kettering Health mission and team, a heart for the ministry of healthcare, and for the people and communities we are privileged to serve,” Blyden said.

Michael Mewhirter has been serving as the interim CEO since the retirement of Manchur as officials within Kettering Health worked to find a replacement for the prior leader.

Gentry will begin his first official day at Kettering Health on Monday, July 3.