Southern Maine Health Care Welcomes New CEO Nathan Howell

Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC) today welcomed new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nathan Howell, a health care executive with national experience and ties to Maine.

Howell’s background and experience have prepared him particularly well for his new position at SMHC. He most recently served as president and CEO of North Star Health Alliance (NSHA) and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, New York, a $125 million non-profit health care system that includes two hospitals with a total of 140 licensed beds and 10 outpatient clinical sites. Previously, Howell was chief operating officer (COO) for Steward-St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, a $360 million, 252-bed teaching hospital in Brighton, Mass., which serves as the tertiary hospital in the Boston area for Steward Health Care.

"The SMHC Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome CEO Nate Howell," said SMHC Board Chairperson Ted Hissong, Jr. "His breadth of health care leadership experience will be very beneficial as Nate successfully leads SMHC through the complex challenges facing community health care systems today." 

In addition to his strong professional background, Howell has significant ties to Maine. He was born at Goodall Hospital in Sanford, spent many summers in Brunswick, and graduated from Colby College. He went on to receive a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University.

"I am excited about returning to Maine with my family," said Howell. "It’s like coming home. Southern Maine Health Care has a long history of dedicated service to York County residents and I am looking forward to contributing my experience in support of the professionals at SMHC who are providing exceptional health care to the communities we serve."

As CEO of SMHC, Howell will oversee Maine’s fifth largest health care system and the largest employer home-based in York County, with more than 2,200 employees. He will also be working closely with Maine Medical Center and other MaineHealth members as part of their unification plan.

The SMHC system includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford and a medical center in Sanford. Both the Biddeford and Sanford centers provide 24/7 emergency care, surgical services, and diagnostic and therapy services. SMHC also includes 200 primary care and multi-specialty physician services providers, with practices in Biddeford, Kennebunk, North Berwick, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro, and Walk-In Care centers in Saco, Sanford, Kennebunk and Waterboro. Breast, cancer care, wound care, sleep, pain, and sports performance specialty centers are located in Biddeford, Kennebunk and Sanford. SMHC is not-for-profit and a member of MaineHealth.

Photo Caption: Nathan Howell, a health care executive with national experience and ties to Maine, has joined Southern Maine Health Care as their CEO.