James Rivard, a former senior vice president of support services at Virtua Health and a resident of Cherry Hill, has been named to the board of trustees of Samaritan.
With nearly 40 years of health care services experience, Rivard specializes in health administration with a concentration in supply chain, capital acquisition and purchasing, contracting and accounting. Prior to his role as senior vice president of support services, Rivard held the position of assistant vice president of clinical resource management at Virtua.
Samaritan, headquartered in Mount Laurel, is a not-for-profit, independent organization locally founded in Moorestown in 1980 as one of the first hospices in the country. Samaritan is now one of the state’s leading providers of hospice care, palliative (comfort) medicine, at-home primary care, grief support and counseling, advanced illness care, education and advocacy.
Samaritan CEO Mary Ann Boccolini welcomed Rivard.
“James’ accomplishments in the world of health care speak volumes on why he is a perfect fit for Samaritan’s board of trustees,” she said. “I am thrilled to add his expertise to our board as part of our continuing mission to provide high-quality care throughout South Jersey.”
Throughout his career, Rivard has been recognized professionally as a leader, receiving Virtua Health’s Outstanding Leadership Award in 2012 and 2002, and in 1999, when the organization was known as West Jersey Health System.
An involved member of the community, Rivard is an alumnus of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and served on the board of trustees from 2014-22. As board chair, he was instrumental in leading the university’s 2022 merger with St. Joseph’s University. He currently serves as Finance Council chair, lay trustee and Stephen Minister at Christ Our Light Church in Cherry Hill. He is also a member of the New Jersey Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
Rivard earned his MBA with a concentration in accounting from the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics, as well as a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.
