Amy Loeb promoted to executive director at PBMC, replacing Andrew Mitchell

Andrew Mitchell, the president and CEO of Peconic Bay Medical Center since 2001, is leaving his current role after nearly 20 years of running the hospital’s day-to-day operations.

As Mr. Mitchell transitions to another position, Amy Loeb, who has been deputy executive director at the hospital, has been promoted to executive director, where she will be responsible for all strategic initiatives and operations for Peconic Bay Medical Center and Peconic Bay Medical Group.

The changes took place on February 1, the hospital announced February 9.

“I’m thrilled that Amy is taking the position that she’s taking,” said Sherry Patterson, the chair of the board of directors at PBMC. “She’s been here since 2015 and she’s been a huge asset to the hospital. I think this position is going to be a perfect fit for her and for the hospital and the community.”

Ms. Patterson said Dr. Loeb was hired in 2015 as a chief nursing officer.

“Then it became apparent that she was an excellent leader,” Ms. Patterson said. “She worked well with everyone in the hospital, she had great vision for the hospital, and she was moved up to assistant executive director.”

Ms. Patterson said Dr. Loeb has been responsible for leading day-to-day operations at PBMC over the last two years.

“With Amy’s leadership, Peconic Bay Medical Center is in great hands,” Mr. Mitchell said in a press release. “She is assuming the role at a time when the organization is poised for growth in bringing a wider range of vitally needed services to the community, and she is the perfect person at the perfect time to lead this effort.”

Mr. Mitchell helped guide PBMC through a wide range of changes and challenges during his tenure, including the merger with Northwell Health.

“When he first came here, the hospital was on the verge of bankruptcy,” Ms. Patterson said. “The first thing he did was make the hospital solvent.”

Since then, he has helped turn PBMC into the leading health care facility on the East End, she said.

Mr. Mitchell recruited doctors and led the hospital’s expansion into other projects, like the Kanas Center for Surgery, the Corey Critical Care Pavilion, a catheterization laboratory and a highly rated orthopedic department, among other additions, Ms. Patterson said.

“So we’ve just expanded our services and we haven’t stopped,” she said. “Our goal is to make this the hospital of choice for everyone on the East End.”

Ms. Patterson said PBMC joining the Northwell Health network “was the best decision we ever made. “They’ve been so supportive of everything we want to do and will continue to be so. We have a shared version so that everybody’s on the same page.”

Mr. Mitchell will now focus on development matters, major donations and large real estate projects, such as developing strategies for the former Mercy High School project, Ms. Patterson said. He also will work with the PBMC Foundation, an independent fundraising unit.

Mr. Mitchell’s office will be in the Entenmann Campus on Second Street, which used to be Suffolk County National Bank.

Mr. Mitchell worked at South Shore University Hospital in 1981 and later led Syosset Community Hospital through its merger with Northwell Health. From there, he served as executive director of Forest Hills Hospital before being named to lead PBMC.

Dr. Loeb began her career at Northwell 16 years ago as a registered nurse at Huntington Hospital and has since assumed progressively senior leadership roles, according to Northwell.

“I’m grateful to Andy for providing me with the opportunity to come here five years ago and for passing the baton to me now,” said Dr. Loeb. “It has been a great honor to serve this organization with him, and I am humbled to accept the reigns as the executive director.”

Stephen Bello, the regional executive director of Northwell Health, praised Dr. Loeb’s leadership when the pandemic struck last year.

“During the COVID-19 surge last spring, [Dr. Loeb] coordinated all aspects of clinical surge capacity planning and execution, business recovery, and institutional safety, helping ensure access to hospital care for the 250,000 community members who rely on PBMC for their healthcare needs. She has also established meaningful relationships with PBMC stakeholders and local community representatives, defining Northwell values of inclusion and mission.”

This article originally appeared in the Riverhead News-Review and is reprinted here with permission.