News

SJCG President & CEO Retiring After 36 Years of Service

Date: 2020-12-04

Tracy Buckler, President & CEO

December 4, 2020, Thunder Bay ON - St. Joseph’s Care Group today announced the planned retirement of Tracy Buckler, President & CEO in summer 2021.

“In her 16 years as President & CEO, Tracy Buckler has led St. Joseph’s Care Group through tremendous growth and change,” said Bishop Fred Colli, Chair of St. Joseph’s Care Group’s Board of Directors. “Through more than a decade of capital projects and multiple health system changes, the fact that St. Joseph’s Care Group is known for its compassionate organizational culture and reputation for excellence in care, is a testament to Tracy’s leadership. It is with gratitude and appreciation that, on behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish Tracy a happy well-deserved retirement.”

“I am fortunate to have had a career in an organization that has amazing staff and a mission-focused board. We have all worked together to ensure we continue the long tradition of meeting the unmet needs of the most vulnerable throughout Northwestern Ontario,” said Buckler, who first joined St. Joseph’s Hospital as an acute care registered nurse, working on a surgical unit and then in the ICU. “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead this complex and diverse organization through the many changes over the years.”

Buckler has been the President & CEO for many of St. Joseph’s Care Group’s defining moments including:

• Opening St. Joseph’s Health Centre (2007) and Health Centre South (2018), creating community-based services for those living with mental illness and addictions. Together with specialized inpatient care, new medium and high support housing, and transitional housing, SJCG is truly able to offer a continuum of care in addictions and mental health.
• Securing more than $186 million in capital investment from various levels of government to meet the needs of the community including the 132-unit Sister Leila Greco Apartments, a new Sister Margaret Smith Centre, the expansion of Hogarth Riverview Manor, and opening the 100,000 sq ft East Wing at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
• Recognized as a leader in delivering safe, high-quality health care, achieving and maintaining Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest level awarded by Accreditation Canada, since 2013.
• Instituted the Centre for Applied Health Research, coupling research with mobilization in support of research, project consultation and knowledge transition.

Buckler will continue in her role as President & CEO while the Board of Directors conducts an executive search and recruitment process, expected to be completed by the summer of 2021.

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