March 30, 2021, Peapack, NJ —William (Bill) M. Kent, MHA, officially began working as President and CEO of Matheny School
and Hospital on March 29, 2021.
Board President, William A. Krais, Esq., said, “The Board of Trustees conducted a national search for a candidate to replace our esteemed former president, Dr. Kendell Sprott.” He added, “We are delighted to welcome Bill Kent to the Matheny family. Bill is an accomplished leader whose depth and breadth of experience will serve the Matheny community well, and create an environment in which those we serve will thrive.”
Prior to joining Matheny, Bill Kent was President of the Lehigh Valley Hospital where, among many other responsibilities, he successfully led hospital management and operations for more than five years. His prestigious career experience includes more than 14 years as Senior Vice President at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and 13 years at the Johns Hopkins Health System.
He discussed his special connection to Matheny as a proud dad of two children – a daughter and his son, who has special needs. When asked why he decided to apply for the position, Mr. Kent said, “Matheny was a personal calling for me given we are parents of a special needs son. My wife and I have personally experienced the challenges of navigating and advocating for his needs throughout his life so he can achieve his full potential. The mission of Matheny to support families with children and adults that have these unique challenges in their lives completely resonates with us.” Kent added, “The opportunity to join an organization that is uniquely providing excellent care to these wonderful people in need is something really compelling and exciting, especially at this point in my career. To be able to make a difference in this community will be a wonderful capstone to my career. My colleagues at Matheny are uniquely special heroes – their commitment and their sense of passion to care for and support patients and families is extraordinary.”
Kent brings extensive strategic planning, operations, and facilities management experience to his new position. “Matheny is a very special place and a hidden gem. My vision is to enable Matheny to become more widely known to this region and even throughout the country for the exceptional quality of its care and comprehensiveness of its services and programs. Part of what I will be working on is to develop a strategic plan that will help Matheny grow and reach its fullest potential as a leader in this part of the healthcare industry.”
At the start of his career, Kent says he served on the frontline in healthcare which shaped his philosophy of leadership. “I exist to serve the frontline. As President I want to make sure that my colleagues have what they need to provide the utmost high quality, safe, and compassionate care. It touches my heart to think about what my Matheny colleagues have accomplished throughout the years, but especially over this past year during the pandemic.”
Kent has published and presented on more than 35 topics ranging from patient satisfaction and quality improvement to organizational transformation and diversity. He has also served on numerous volunteer community boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lehigh Valley, the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, the Life Center Organ Donation Network and the March of Dimes. As an Eagle Scout, he also served as district chairman for the Boy Scouts in Baltimore.
