FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Barb Meyer
Executive Director - Corporate Communications
Sisters of Mercy Health System www.mercy.net
v: 314.628-3633
f: 314.628-3734
e: bmeyer@corp.mercy.net

JON SWOPE NAMED PRESIDENT/CEO OF MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM OF KANSAS

ST. LOUIS, MO (Feb. 28, 2005) – Jon Swope, currently Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, MO, will become President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Health System of Kansas, effective March 28. The announcement was made by Ron Ashworth, president and chief executive officer of the Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy), which sponsors both Mercy Health System of Kansas and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Mercy Health System of Kansas includes Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott, Mercy Hospital in Independence, and Mercy Physicians Group.

Swope has served his entire career with the Sisters of Mercy, beginning in 1980 with various part-time positions at St. John’s in Springfield while attending college. He served as Director of Admitting/Business Office before transferring to St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Washington, MO, in 1988 as Assistant Administrator. In 1993, Swope transitioned to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis as Vice President, with responsibility for a variety of departments including human resources, purchasing and safety/security. He was named Corporate Vice President–Human Resources for Unity Health (now St. John’s Mercy Health Care) in 1996. Swope returned to Springfield in 1997 as Senior Vice President of St. John’s Health System. In 2001, he was named Chief Operating Officer of St. John’s Hospital . Swope holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Maryville University, St. Louis, and a master’s degree in health administration from Webster University, St. Louis.

“Throughout his tenure with Mercy, Jon has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, the ability to execute large projects, and a gift for building strong relationships with co-workers, physicians and others,” said Ashworth. “As Jon transitions to our health ministry in Kansas, we are pleased to support this next step in his continuing journey with Mercy.”

Swope will be joined in Kansas by his wife, Missy, and daughter, Marissa, who is completing her senior year in high school.

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The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) operates hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, health plans and related health and human services in a seven state area including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Its members include 18 acute care hospitals providing more than 4,000 licensed beds, a heart hospital, a managed care subsidiary (Mercy Health Plans), physician practices, outpatient care facilities, home health programs, skilled nursing services and long-term care facilities. Services are provided by approximately 26,000 co-workers and 3,100 physicians who are employed or practice at Mercy facilities. Mercy is the 9th largest Catholic healthcare system in the United States based on net patient service revenue and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy–St. Louis Regional Community.

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