UPDATE: Marquette General CEO retiring

Marquette General CEO Gary Muller is retiring at the end of the year.

He came to MGH in November of 2007 when Bill Nemacheck retired after nine years as chief executive. MGH was losing millions of dollars and had laid off nearly 150 employees the previous year.

“When I came six years ago, the hospital needed some help, and we had a big turnaround and built the team, and then the board took the leap, as we know, of looking at the future,” Muller said.

That examination of the future eventually resulted in the sale of MGH to Duke LifePoint Healthcare. Muller says he wanted to at least stay long enough to help the health system switch from nonprofit to for-profit status. “We (Duke LifePoint and I) did not have any discussions about my being here, except to support MGH through the transition after the sale, which was a year and a month ago, and we’ve done nothing but stay in touch on what the best thing for the hospital is,” he said.

After working in health care for nearly 40 years, he says it’s time he moved on to another phase of his life and spent more time with his family. “This hospital will have a solid future forever,” Muller said. “Duke LifePoint’s going to support that, they’re going to make a major investment, we’re going to give them a big return to the community. The new hospital of the future, quite honestly, is so exciting, I can’t wait to come back and see it in three, three and a half years and just celebrate.”

Muller is also leaving his position as president and CEO of Superior Health Partners at the end of February.