Tom Scott has been promoted to CEO of CentraState Healthcare System, the Freehold-based system announced Thursday.
Scott, who has been the chief operating officer for the past seven years, succeeds John Gribbin, who announced his retirement in February after leading the hospital for 22 years.
Scott will assume the role effective April 9.
He will oversee the 284-bed acute care hospital, three senior living communities housing 630 residents, an ambulatory campus, four satellite health pavilions, a family medicine residency program and more than 2,600 employees.
John Cantalupo, the chairman of CentraState’s board of trustees, said Scott was a unanimous choice.
“He is a well-respected leader who was instrumental in growing this organization to its present state, who also has a strong vision for navigating challenges in the health care landscape, now and into the future,” he said.
The promotion was part of a plan of succession at CentreState.
Cantalupo said the board designed a succession plan years ago to ensure that the next CEO and president would have the knowledge, experience and leadership skills to serve CentraState’s employees, patients and community.
“I appreciate the confidence the CentraState board and physicians have displayed in selecting me as president and CEO,” Scott said. “I look forward to transitioning to my new role and continuing CentraState’s commitment to clinical excellence, physician engagement and value-based strategies to improve access to high quality, affordable health care.”
About CentraState
CentraState Healthcare System, a partner of Atlantic Health System, is a fully accredited, not-for-profit, community-based health system that provides comprehensive health services in the central New Jersey region. In addition to offering a full range of leading-edge diagnostic and treatment options, CentraState serves as a valuable health partner focused on the latest ways to prevent disease, promote healthy behaviors and help people of all ages live life well. It is based in Freehold.
Scott joined CentraState in 2015 as COO after serving seven years at Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains in the same role. He has deep experience in health care management, with prior positions at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, and St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson.
As COO and a core member of the senior management team, Scott integrated CentraState’s strategic vision with its operations, while fostering a culture of teamwork, innovation, accountability and excellence. Areas of direct oversight included nursing, clinical services, information technology, physician practice management, senior services and facilities, as well as cancer and cardiology services.
During his tenure, Scott helped guide the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout and other major system initiatives, including the opening of a new cardiovascular interventional suite as a single-story addition to the hospital campus, and a solar initiative that produces approximately 70% of the hospital’s electric needs. More recently, he crafted a physician development plan that will add 60 primary care and specialists during the next two years and led the technology transition to the Epic electronic health record and MyChart patient portal.
Scott received a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree in health administration from Cornell University. He serves on the board of trustees of the VNA Health Group and the board of directors of the New Jersey Hospital Association Business Solutions.
