Experienced hospital CEO, former U.S. Navy Lt. Commander to Lead Island’s Largest Private Employer

(December 6, 2019) The Nantucket Cottage Hospital Board of Trustees has named Gary Shaw President and Chief Executive Officer of Nantucket Cottage Hospital following a nationwide search. Shaw brings more than two decades of experience leading hospitals and healthcare organizations from Delaware to Alaska, as well as 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy’s Medical Service Corps, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He will join Nantucket Cottage Hospital in his new role on Monday, Dec. 9th.

“Gary is the right person to lead Nantucket Cottage Hospital into this new era with the island’s new healthcare facility, and every member of the search committee and the Board feels confident that his experience and skillset are well-matched to meet the challenges of our remote island hospital,” said Kevin Hickey, President of the NCH Board of Trustees. “Gary’s leadership style and track record of accomplishments, both in the Navy and as a healthcare executive, stood out to us during the search process and we look forward to introducing him to NCH staff and the island community.”

Shaw most recently served as President of Cambridge Medical Center in Minnesota, an 86-bed facility that is part of the Allina Health not-for-profit healthcare system. At Cambridge Medical Center, he was responsible for a number of systemwide improvement initiatives in quality and patient care and led the development of a new $9 million outpatient clinic. Prior to that, Shaw was the hospital administrator of the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, a 158-bed regional referral center and teaching hospital for the Alaska Native and American Indian populations.

“My wife Trisha and I are very excited to be returning to our New England roots, joining the Nantucket community, and I couldn’t be more pleased to be invited to work with the wide array of highly skilled team members at the Nantucket Cottage Hospital. I am truly humbled.”

Shaw enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1977, progressing from Hospital Corpsman to Lieutenant Commander of the Navy’s Medical Service Corps over the span of two decades. He served during four wars and his last overseas assignment was as a Navy Environmental health advisor (Public Health) to the United Nations during the Bosnian war.

Shaw and his wife Trisha have two grown children. The Shaws will relocate from Minnesota to Nantucket in the coming months.

“Gary’s experience in healthcare organizations that serve remote and rural areas and being an active member of those communities is one of his many attributes that we believe will benefit Nantucket Cottage Hospital and the island,” said Jack Burke, Vice President of the NCH Board of Trustees and the chair of the hospital search committee. “Of the many potential candidates we interviewed during this search process, Gary was the clear, unanimous choice of the committee given his background, leadership qualities and extensive accomplishments as a healthcare executive.”

Shaw succeeds Dr. Margot Hartmann, who had served as Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s President and CEO since 2010 and stepped down from that role in September 2019. Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, DNP, has served the hospital as interim President and CEO since Dr. Hartmann’s departure, and will continue to assist NCH in a consulting role.

A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Shaw received a Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare/Business Administration, followed by a Master of Science degree in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. He holds an Executive Professional Coaching Certificate from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.