TRINIDAD, CO – The Board of Trustees for Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics are pleased to announce the appointment of Kimberly (Kim) Lucero, as the organization’s Interim CEO, effective immediately. Lucero, formerly the hospital’s Director of Development and Ancillary Operations, replaces John Tucker, FACHE, who is stepping down after having served as CEO for the past seven years. Tucker is relocating to Paris, Tennessee, having accepted a CEO position at a Medical Center in the area; taking him closer to family and to where his son will be attending college. Tucker will remain on board through July 8 to ensure a seamless transition of leadership.
John Tucker, Former CEO“Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics have evolved quite a bit since I started in 2015,” said Tucker. “We’ve had many successes for which I am very proud to have played a part. From stabilizing our financial situation and providing more physicians which improved access to care, to improving our culture and increasing employee satisfaction, there was plenty of work to be done. We worked hard and were awarded Medicare’s 5-Star status two years in a row and were named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals by the Chartis Group. We were also able to expand our service lines to include orthopaedics, 24/7 general surgery, and oncology. But, probably my greatest sense of pride comes from the recently completed facility renovation which saw the construction of a new ER, Medical/Surgical Unit with Infusion Suite, and Imaging Center. That was a project the community needed and wanted for so long and I am so pleased that all of the pieces were able to come together during my tenure.”
“We also experienced some of the most challenging times a healthcare facility can face over the last several years,” continued Tucker. “From fiscal challenges to the onset of the COVID pandemic, we have definitely weathered some storms and yet, we maintained our footing and were able to serve and lead the hospital and the community successfully through those. Challenges certainly remain, as there is always more work to be done, but there is a great team in place and I have every confidence in their success going forward. Mt. San Rafael Hospital is especially fortunate to have such a respected leader as Interim CEO in Kim Lucero. I’m grateful to have been part of the hospital’s history and the Trinidad community.”
Kim Lucero has been a part of the Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics family for 15 years, serving on its Senior Leadership Team and as the organization’s Director of Development and Ancillary Operations before being named Interim CEO. Lucero – an Aguilar native – has played a critical role in all of the major projects and business affairs of the Hospital and Clinics during her tenure including successfully acquiring approximately $4 million in grant funds over the years for a variety of projects; successfully implementing a capital campaign to help fund the Facility Renovation Project along with having a hand in all aspects of the project’s development, design and completion; fundraising approximately $500,000 over the years for needed projects; coordinating fundraising events, enhancing provider relations, serving as part of the COVID response team, and enhancing community engagement, among many others.
Being active in the local community, Lucero has served previously as the President of the Trinidad State College Foundation, Mayor Pro-Tem of the Town of Aguilar, and Treasurer of the Trinidad-Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce. She is the current President of the Las Animas County Health Service District and works closely with the Trinidad-Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce, Trinidad City Council, and Las Animas County Commissioners.
“I am excited for this opportunity to serve the Board of Trustees and Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics in this new capacity as Interim CEO,” said Lucero. “I look forward to working even more closely with our team on our goals to ensure the Hospital and Clinics continue to offer integral services to the benefit of the citizens we serve, expanding services where we can, and ensuring we are the healthcare choice for our community.”
“We’re still in the midst of the COVID pandemic, so we still have challenges to face, but we also have important objectives to work toward and partnerships to build to help make our goals a reality,” Lucero continued. “I’m grateful for John’s leadership over the years, and for the support of the Board and everyone in the Hospital and Clinics family as we take on this new journey forward together.”
About Mt. San Rafael Hospital
Mt. San Rafael Hospital is a 25-bed critical access facility serving the medical and surgical needs of Trinidad residents and the surrounding areas. Our vision at Mt. San Rafael Hospital is to be a model for rural healthcare and wellness and the provider of choice for our community. For more information about the hospital or the CEO transition, please contact Kim Lucero, Interim CEO, at (719) 846-8053 or via email at klucero@msrhc.org.
