Wes White brings experience as new CFO at Melissa Memorial Hospital

    Melissa Memorial Hospital has a new chief financial officer — one bringing a wealth of health care finance experience along with him. CFO Wes White began at MMH Monday, March 27, for the next leg of his 30-year journey in health care finance.
    A native of western Colorado, White graduated from Fruita High School and joined the Air Force for four years before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University.
    After six years in public accounting, he began a career in health care finance that has continued for 30 years. White has served various hospitals, many of them critical access hospitals like MMH, in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana and Idaho, where he most recently worked at Teton Valley Health Care in Briggs, Idaho.
    “We’re enjoying the sunshine in Colorado again,” said White. He and his wife Lois came to Holyoke to be closer to family, as they have two grown children, a son and a daughter, living in the Fruita area. Another son lives in Phoenix, Arizona, another daughter lives in Portland, Oregon, and their oldest son died in 2009.
    Additionally, the couple is closer to 10 of their soon-to-be 20 grandchildren, ages 12 and under, with their relocation. White has an identical twin brother living in Brighton as well, who is also in health care finance.
    As CFO, White will have operational responsibility over several departments, including accounting, material management, housekeeping, dietary, business and health information management. Interim CFO Jason McCormick will stay on in a consulting capacity and to work on a few special projects.
    “It takes a full year to go through the cycle and fully learn the depth and breadth of an organization,” said White. “I’m looking forward to working with the board of trustees, medical staff and senior management team and improving our financial strength.”
    White enjoys bicycling, hiking, some hunting, family genealogy, and museums and local history. His wife enjoys many of these activities as well, in addition to quilting and sewing.
    White intends to get involved in local service organizations once he is settled in his new role as CFO.