Speare Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that Craig Williams, MBA, FACHE, will begin his new role as president and CEO of Speare on June 1, 2026. Williams will take the helm following the retirement of Michelle McEwen, CPA, FACHE.

“As we warmly welcome Craig to the Speare family, I first want to acknowledge and express our deep appreciation to Michelle for the leadership she has provided to all members of the Speare community. It would be hard to overstate the importance of Michelle’s contributions to the success of Speare during her more than two decades as CEO,” said Steve Camerino, chair of the Speare Memorial Hospital board of directors. “We are confident that this leadership transition will be a smooth one, and that Speare’s continued success will be built upon the remarkable foundation Michelle has created.”

Williams joins Speare as an experienced healthcare leader who has served in executive roles at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, Northeast Hospital Corporation, Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, and most recently, Cook County Health, where he served as executive chief operating officer. His work has focused on patient-centered care delivery, operational excellence, strategic leadership, and physician engagement. Across his career, Williams has led organizational responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, advanced change management efforts, strengthened physician alignment, and launched performance improvement initiatives.

“I could not be more excited about joining the Speare team. The organization has an impressive track record and has grown through innovation to meet the needs of the community,” said Williams. “I am passionate about improving clinical operations, patient experience, safety, and financial performance through effective collaboration with Speare’s employees, medical staff, and board, as well as the communities they serve to drive growth and achieve our shared strategic goals.”

Williams’ appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Speare Memorial Hospital, as the organization continues its commitment to delivering high-quality, community-focused care as an independent hospital while building on its strong legacy of leadership and innovation.