March 25, 2001

WMC President Advances to Fellow Status in National Professional Society

Contact: Lesa Skotnicki
Phone: (814) 467-3463
Fax: (814) 467-3451
E-mail: lskotni@conemaugh.org

Nick Jacobs, President of Windber Medical Center, today advanced to Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society representing nearly 30,000 health care executives. The announcement was made at ACHE's 67th annual Convocation ceremony held today at the Chicago Hilton & Towers, during the Society's 2001 Congress on Healthcare Management. Ceremonies today also marked the 68th anniversary of the Society, which was founded in 1933.

Fellow status is the highest level of professional achievement in ACHE. At present, only 3,016, or 10% of the membership worldwide (52 countries) are identified as Fellows, and privileged to use the letters "FACHE" after his or her name in official communications. Of 1,381 hospital executives in Pennsylvania identified with ACHE, only 177 are Fellows.

F. Nicholas Jacobs President & CEO Windber Medical Center

To obtain Fellow status, affiliates must demonstrate their education, experience, and leadership in the health care field over a period of several years. They must also complete a significant project on a subject related to health care management. After ten years, a Fellow must be recertified. After 25 or more years, he or she is identified as a Life Fellow.

Jacobs holds a Masters degree in Public Health Management/Health Systems Management from Carnegie Mellon University; Masters degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; a Certificate in Health Care Management from Harvard University School of Public Health and certification from the Grantsmanship Center.

Jacobs has been President and CEO of Windber Medical Center (WMC) since 1997. WMC is affiliated with Conemaugh Health System. He also is President and CEO of the recently incorporated, not-for-profit Windber Research Institute, which is dedicated to deep research into proteomics and genomics with the eventual goal of developing a vaccine for the prevention or cure of breast cancer. This research is being conducted in conjunction with Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.