St. Lawrence Health building named after Former Chief Executive Officer

CANTON, N.Y. (WWTI) – Former Chief Executive Officer of St. Lawrence Health (SLH) and President of Canton-Potsdam Hospital (CPH), David Acker, served for 16 years before he retired in 2022 and the organization agreed the naming of one of its buildings would be a fitting tribute to him. The David B. Acker Regional Administrative Campus at 6196 Route 11 in Canton was officially named during a recent dedication ceremony.

“ In 2007, the Board was completing a very extensive search for a new Chief Executive Officer and David’s name rose to the top of the list very rapidly. Upon arrival, he immediately assessed our status and found many of the residents of our community went outside the county for medical care that could and should be available here ,”

SLH Board Chair Edward Mucenski, on being a member of the Search Committee who hired Acker

“ He then proceeded to bring providers in the fields that were needed and specialty providers that we never thought we’d be able to attract. He restructured the hospitals and made them into successful entities and started a dialogue with the providers here in St. Lawrence County to bring about a relationship with healthcare that would survive in the North Country ,” Mucenski added. “ And finally he led us through the process of seeking a senior affiliation with Rochester Regional Health, which has worked out very well .”

Turning to Acker and his wife Linda, Mucenski thanked Acker on behalf of the Board for his “strong and on-point vision” that has made the community healthier. He also thanked Acker’s wife, Linda, for her patience.

SLH President Donna McGregor is Acker’s successor and she noted she understood that she had big shoes to fill when she was promoted into her Presidential role from SLH Chief Financial Officer.

She pointed to just a sampling of the accomplishments made under the watch of her predecessor, including:

2008 at CPH :

• Emergency Department expansion;
• Construction of new inpatient rooms;
• Consolidation of cancer care;

2010 :

• Helen Snell Cheel Medical Campus opens at 49 Lawrence Avenue, Potsdam;

2011 :

• Center for Cancer Care opens at CPH;

2013 :

• St. Lawrence Health System is established;
• Gouverneur Hospital (GH) affiliates with CPH, and both come under the newly established St. Lawrence Health System;

2014 :

• Primary Care Center opens at GH;
• Urgent Care opens in Potsdam;
• Observation Unit is added to CPH;

2016:

• St. Lawrence Health Medical Campus opens at 6196 US Highway 11, Canton;

2017 at GH :

• New Emergency Department opens;
• Detoxification Services relocate to GH from CPH;

2019 :

• Massena Hospital joins St. Lawrence Health;
• Leroy Outpatient Center on the CPH campus opens in Potsdam;
• CPH Critical Care Unit is completed;

2021 :

• SLH becomes an affiliate of Rochester Regional Health;
• Inpatient Detoxification opens at MH;
• Behavioral Health wing opens at GH; and

2020-2022 :

• David Acker leads the whole of SLH through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acker addressed those in attendance by thanking them for the honor they bestowed upon him saying, “ There are not too many people who are fortunate enough in their life time to have a building named after them. This is a tremendous honor .” Acker pointed to the Board of Directors, members of the medical staff, and his fellow leaders who worked along-side him, noting a leader goes only so far as the people working with him/her. He also spoke of their dedication to the hospital, the system and the communities in which they represented.

The David B. Acker Regional Administrative Campus includes an auditorium where board meetings, seminars and presentations are conducted along with the following St. Lawrence Health departmental offices:

• Accounts Payable;
• Compliance;
• Human Resources;
• Information Systems;
• Patient Finance;
• Quality; and
• Recruiting.

Additional information about SLH may be found on their website .

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