Last finalist to lead NUMC drops out
Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Officials will restart the search for a new chief executive and president of Nassau University Medical Center after the lone finalist, health care executive John Gupta, bowed out and accepted another offer.
NuHealth Chairman Robert Detor said Tuesday he had appointed Anthony Boutin, the hospital's chief medical officer, to fill the top job on an acting basis, effective Friday. NuHealth is the public benefit corporation that runs NUMC in East Meadow. Gupta had interviewed with NuHealth board members at NUMC last Friday in executive session.
Detor said Tuesday that Gupta, 47, of Roslyn Heights, “notified me this morning that he had accepted another position.” Detor said he has notified NuHealth board members that he will reopen the search for a permanent chief executive for the hospital.
Detor said of Boutin: “I’ll be working with him as a partner to lighten his load on certain things, but he will be the acting CEO.”
“I still have a tremendous amount of resumes that I’m going to review,” Detor said, noting that he also may advertise the position online.
Gupta said Tuesday he “had committed myself to another position.”
Gupta in a brief interview praised the interview process at NUMC, and wished "everybody luck as I go along and am still willing to help any way I can." Gupta said he was taking a health care-related job in New York City.
Dr. Anthony Boutin, interim president and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center, said COVID-19 isn't always predictable and that sometimes an elderly person expected to do poorly survives, while a young person does not. Credit: Barry Sloan
A search for the NUMC CEO conducted under former NuHealth board Chairman George Tsunis resulted in two finalists: Gupta and Thomas Stokes, a former chief fiscal officer under former Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who represents the 3rd congressional district.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said last week Stokes had withdrawn from the selection process and that she planned to meet with Gupta.
Christine Geed, a spokeswoman for Curran, said, “Dr. Gupta has made the decision to not accept the CEO position at NUMC, and Nassau County would like to thank him for his consideration and wish him the best of luck.”
Jerry Laricchiuta, President of Nassau Civil Service Local 830, which represents NUMC workers, praised Detor's decision to elevate Boutin.
"Good job by the chairman," said Laricchiuta. He said Boutin, who was previously chairman of the emergency department, is "dedicated to the community and to the employees and the hospital.”
“I do believe that by putting in a well-known doctor that understands the entire hospital, it will provide a better atmosphere and stability to the organization that results in a better workforce and better hospital for the residents," Laricchiuta said.
Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.
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