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NEW CEO AT OSWEGO HEALTH
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in the newspaper business. For generations, his family successfully ran the Mexico Independent Inc. (Oswego County Weeklies newspapers) until it was sold in 2016. For a while Backus wrote stories, sold advertisements for the newspapers. In 2012, at 29 years of age, he was elected to the post of Oswego County clerk, the youngest to ever hold that position in New York state. He served in that position until 2020, when he started working at Oswego Health. Those who know Backus say he is smart, energetic, competitive, consensus builder, a people person. He describes himself Meet Ann Gilpin, as an “eternal optiOswego Health’s mist” who is a good New CEO listener — he is fond of saying that “Whoever said, ‘you have two ears and one mouth — OSWEGO COUNTY use them in proportion’ knew what they were talking about.” About his appointment as CEO, Ed Alberts, New Oswego the chairman of Health CEO Talks About His Plans the Oswego Health board, said his selection was an obvious one. “There are a few times in life when you come across a no-brainer. [Selecting Backus] falls into that category of no-brainer,” he says in the story we’re running in this issue. Oswego Health indeed needs a strong leader right now. Competition for patients and professionals is fierce, hospitals in general are losing money (and merging with larger groups) and finding nurses and doctors has been more challenging than ever. SPECIAL: PROGRESS ISSUE 2007
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I
t looks like it’s becoming a tradition for this magazine to feature the new chief executive officer of Oswego Health on its cover. We featured Corte Spencer and his team on the April-May 2001 cover (although he had been a CEO since 1981); Ann Gilpin on February-March 2007; then Chuck Gijanto, on December 2015 – January 2016. In the August-September 2017 issue we featured Michael Harlovic, who retired from the position at the end of last year. The reason they are on the cover is quite simple: These executives command great power and lead one of the largest employers in the region — the second largest private employer in Oswego County with 1,245 employees. They have the responsibility to Getting steer the course of Oswego Health in the organization Shape that currently has Officials to an annual payGov. Cuomo roll of $76 million and generates $228 million in economic activity for the region. The role of the chief executive officer in this process is crucial and helps determine the performance and future of the organization. In this issue, we feature Michael C. Backus, who became CEO on Jan. 1. Backus is a home-grown leader who previously served as Oswego Health’s chief operating officer and executive vice president. His involvement in healthcare also includes serving as the chairman of the board at Pulaski-based ConnextCare. It’s not the first time Backus is on the cover of Oswego County Business Magazine. In 2013 he was there as part of a group of people who had been selected as Forty Under 40 “Rising Stars,” organized by this magazine. The 39-year-old executive has deep roots in the community. He grew up
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From Pittsburgh to Oswego: CEO Michael Harlovic wants to make Oswego Health a destination facility, to improve patient experience and quality, and to create a culture of ownership
12 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2023
WAGNER DOTTO is the editor and publisher of Oswego County Business Magazine.
ISSUE 182 • OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2022
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Wagner Dotto editor@cnybusinessmag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Stefan Yablonski syablonski@twcny.rr.com WRITERS Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Christopher Malone, Ken Sturtz Stefan Yablonski, Aaron Gifford COLUMNISTS Austin Wheelock Bruce Frassinelli, Sandra Scott ADVERTISING Peggy Kain peggylocalnews@gmail.com Kim Micca kimlocalnews@gmail.com SECRETARY Loni Zardus localnewsoffice@gmail.com LAYOUT & DESIGN Angel Campos Toro COVER PHOTO Chuck Wainwright
OSWEGOCOUNTYBUSINESS.COM OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS MAGAZINE is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., publisher of the Business Guide, Upstate Summer, Fall, & Winter guides, College Life Newspaper, In Good Health—The Healthcare Newspaper (across four regions) and 55 Plus Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester and Central New York. Subscription rate is $21.50 a year; $35 for two years. Single-copy price is $4.50. PRSRT STD US Postage PAID, Buffalo, NY, Permit No. 4725. © 2023 Oswego County Business. All rights reserved. No material from this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher. HOW TO REACH US: P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126. Phone: 315-342-8020 Fax: 315-342-7776; editor@OswegoCountyBusiness.com
