Lovelace Health System CEO resigns amid ongoing turnover in top role

Lovelace Health System CEO and President Troy Greer has resigned, officials announced last week, the latest in a string of departures for the top position at one of the state’s largest health systems.

Lovelace declined to comment on why Greer, who held the top role at Lovelace for two years, resigned.

Greer’s exit adds to a pattern of quick leadership changes. His predecessor, David Schultz, stepped down in late 2023 after serving less than a year.

Greer is being replaced in the interim by Lovelace Medical Group CEO Michael Kueker, while health system officials conduct a national search to permanently fill the position.

“We are grateful for Troy’s leadership over the past two years, during which Lovelace has continued to evolve to better serve communities across New Mexico,” Lovelace Chief Medical Officer Vesta Sandoval said in a statement.

Since 2022, the health system has cycled through four CEOs, including Greer, Schultz and Janelle Raborn, who worked with the company for four decades but retired in 2022 — the same year she was appointed. Ron Stern held the position of CEO from 2005 through 2022.

Greer came to Lovelace to take the top position after serving as the CEO of Boone Health in Columbia from September 2020 to April 2023, according to previous Journal reporting. He also worked for many years with Lovelace before that, including as CEO of Lovelace Westside Hospital from 2007 to 2012 and Lovelace Medical Center and Heart Hospital of New Mexico from 2012 to 2020.

Kueker, the interim CEO and president of the health system, joined Lovelace in 2023 after previously serving as vice president of physician practice operations at Tennessee-based Community Health Systems. Kueker’s role as the top executive of Lovelace will include more responsibilities, as the health system oversees five hospitals, dozens of clinics and more than 3,500 employees.

“With Michael’s leadership, we are confident the Lovelace team will continue building on this progress to meet the diverse healthcare needs of our region,” Sandoval said.