Gary Herbst, CEO of Visalia, Calif.-based Kaweah Health, will retire June 30, 2026, concluding a 34-year career with the organization, according to a June 17 news release shared with Becker’s.
Mr. Herbst is the fourth CEO in Kaweah Health’s history, assuming the role in 2017, according to the release. He has also held roles as director of business development and CFO.
“Deciding when to retire is never easy,” Mr. Herbst said in the release. “My late father-in-law once told me that you simply know when the time is right — not because of calculations or milestones, but by instinct. I now understand what he meant, and while this is a difficult decision both personally and professionally, I know it is the right time for me and for Kaweah Health.”
During his tenure, Mr. Herbst is credited with playing a key role in the organization’s transformation from a small community hospital into a regional medical and trauma center.
Today, Kaweah Health is a publicly-owned community healthcare organization with more than 5,000 employees and 700 medical staff.
