Executive Leadership

Cooper University Hospital's executive management team has a wealth of experience in health care administration and development. The team's commitment to Cooper's patients, employees and the community combined with a focus on fiscal responsibility has resulted in a strong infrastructure designed to meet today's health needs while moving towards tomorrow's innovations and breakthroughs. Cooper's leadership drives the organization to exceed the expectations of its patients and improve the overall health of the community.

John P. Sheridan
JOHN P. SHERIDAN, JR.
President and Chief Executive Officer

John P. Sheridan, Jr., is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Cooper Health System. He is responsible for the operations of Cooper University Hospital and Cooper’s more than 50 satellite offices throughout the region. He also is a member of The Cooper Health System Board of Trustees.

Mr. Sheridan joined Cooper as Senior Executive Vice President in July 2005. He became Chief Administrative Officer in March of 2007 and President of Cooper University Hospital in September 2007. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of The Cooper Health System in February 2008.

Mr. Sheridan’s career spans forty years in governmental service, the practice of law and healthcare. Before joining Cooper, he was a senior partner and Co-Chairman of the law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, LLP, which he joined in May 1985. While at Riker, he served for a number of years as General Counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Carrier Clinic. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Carrier Clinic, a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in Belle Mead, N.J. for 25 years.

Mr. Sheridan also served in the Cabinet of Governor Thomas H. Kean as Commissioner of Transportation, and as Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation from 1982 to 1985. Earlier in his career, he served as Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey, Assistant Counsel to Governor William T. Cahill, and Counsel to the New Jersey Senate Minority.

Mr. Sheridan graduated from St. Peter's College and received his law degree from Rutgers Law School. Mr. Sheridan also served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970.

John Sheridan is a member of The Cooper Foundation Board of Trustees and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Camden Partnership and the Camden Special Services District. Mr. Sheridan is a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey and an Advisory Board member for the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs.

Jeff Yarmel
JEFFREY YARMEL
Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Jeffrey N. Yarmel is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Cooper Health System. His career spans thirty years, almost entirely in executive-level healthcare administration. He also has extensive experience in turnaround efforts.

Mr. Yarmel joined Cooper in 2004, after serving as Chief Executive Officer for Warminister Hospital, a for-profit hospital operated by Tenet Healthcare in Warminster, PA from 1998 through 2003. He led the turnaround of his hospital and, over his tenure there, not only attained profitable status but also achieved national recognition for both patient and physician satisfaction. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President for Strategic Business Development at Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation in Philadelphia from 1996 to 1998 and Chief Operating Officer for Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia from 1991 to 1996. He has also served as Director of Professional Services for the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond, VA and held the position of Assistant Professor at the School of Allied Health Professions-Department of Health Administration. Mr. Yarmel also held a variety of administrative positions of increasing responsibility at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals between 1976 and 1984.

Mr. Yarmel received a Master of Arts in Business from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI in 1976; and holds a bachelor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, awarded in 1974.

Dennis Petigrew
DENNIS A. PETTIGREW
Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Pettigrew has over 35 years experience in management positions. He has served as a Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer during his career. As an accomplished healthcare executive, Mr. Pettigrew leads the financial team at Cooper.

Mr. Pettigrew is a financial leader with proven strength in maintaining profitability, and is skilled in business development, revenue cycle, physician relationships and acquisitions.

Mr. Pettigrew received his Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and his Masters in Business Administration from Ball State University. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and was named “CFO of the Year” by Modern Healthcare in 1992.

Carolyn Bekes
CAROLYN BEKES, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Academic & Medical Affairs

Carolyn Bekes, M.D. is the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs for the Cooper Health System. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Bekes was awarded a Master of Health Administration from Widener in 1995. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at Cooper, and Nephrology at Cooper and Hahnemann. Dr. Bekes came to Cooper as the Director of the Intensive Care Unit in 1977, a position she retained until 1993 when she was asked to develop Cooper’s Clinical Outcomes program. She served as Vice President for Medical Affairs at Cooper from 1993 to 1999, at which time she was appointed Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer. Dr. Bekes is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Bekes has demonstrated leadership in critical care medicine at a national level. She served as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Test and Policy Committee for Critical Care (the group which write the critical care board examination); and has risen through the leadership of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (the national critical care professional organization), finally serving as President of the organization from February 2000 – February 2001. She has also served as President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Chair of the American College of Critical Care Medicine Board of Regents and Chair of the Critical Care Education and Research Foundation.

A resident of Cherry Hill, NJ, Dr. Bekes has also been a foster mother for two Vietnamese children.

George Weinroth
GEORGE J. WEINROTH, ESQ
Chief Operating Officer for Cooper University Physicians

George J. Weinroth, Esq., a retired principal in the law firm of Mattleman, Weinroth, and Miller, was Chairman of The Cooper Foundation's Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of Trenton State College, and earned his J.D. with honors from Rutgers University School of Law.

Mr. Weinroth has been instrumental in organizing various fund-raising events on behalf of Cooper, including the Mercedes-Benz Golf Tournament and the Gala Extravaganza.

Professionally, Mr. Weinroth is licensed to practice before the Courts of the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and all U.S. District Courts pertaining thereto. He has been a Municipal Court Judge for Oaklyn and Woodlyne; and President of the Camden County Municipal Court Judges Association.

Arthur Winkler
ARTHUR WINKLER, ESQ.
Executive Vice President for Corporate Support Services

Arthur Winkler, Esq, is Executive Vice President for Corporate Support Services for the Cooper Health System. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. He joined the Racing Department as a Vice President of Subsidiary Wagering in May of 1999, having previously served as House Counsel from 1980 to 1983. Prior to joining the authority in 1980, Mr. Winkler practiced law privately and held a number of positions in State Government, including Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Law, Assistant Counsel to the Governor, and Assistant Commissioner for Education for Research, Planning, and Evaluation. Between his stints at the Authority, Mr. Winkler practiced law privately and was President of both Freehold Raceway and Garden State Park Racetracks.

Mr. Winkler also served as a Trustee of The Cooper Health System from 1994 to 1997, at which time he joined Cooper's executive management as Vice President/Legal Affairs and Compliance.

Mr. Winkler is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and received his law degree from Rutgers University/Newark in 1969.

Gary Young
GARY YOUNG
Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy

Gary S. Young is the Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy for The Cooper Health System. His career spans over thirty years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, statistical consulting, and government relations. Mr. Young has extensive expertise in health policy and regulatory affairs in New Jersey. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from The Pennsylvania State University. He also received a Master's Degree in Sociology with a concentration in market research, and held a research fellowship in applied statistics and economics, also at Penn State University.

Mr. Young began at Cooper in 1985 as Director of Planning and Marketing. He was subsequently promoted to Vice President for Planning and Marketing in 1996, and then appointed Executive Vice President for Planning and Marketing in 2000. He has served as Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Community Affairs since 2001. He has published papers on public policy and taught at Penn State University, Drexel University, and Rutgers University. Mr. Young has been a member of various health care strategy and government relations committees in both the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, and is currently Chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Council of Teaching Hospitals.

Mr. Young is an active member of the American Sociological Association and the American Statistical Association. He is also a member of the American College of Health Care Executives.

Mr. Young and his family are residents of Cherry Hill, where he is involved in the community and his daughter's extracurricular activities.

charsa
DIANNE CHARSHA, R.N., M.S.N., N.N.P.-B.C.
Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer

Dianne Charsha, R.N., earned her BSN at Wilkes College in Wilkes Barre, P.A. She completed her MSN at the University of Pennsylvania, where she specialized in perinatal nursing. In 1992, she earned her Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner post graduate degree in neonatal nursing from the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Charsha has worked in a variety of clinical settings including pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, pediatrics, well nursery, women’s health and obstetrics. Prior to becoming Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Cooper, she had been a MCH clinical nurse specialist, a neonatal nurse practitioner, a nurse practitioner manager, and director of neonatal services.

Ms. Charsha has also demonstrated leadership in nursing at a national level. She has presented numerous neonatal topics since 1988 and is the author of chapters, articles, and videos all with the goal of enhancing nursing knowledge.

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	JOHN P. SHERIDAN, JR. President and Chief Executive Officer John P. Sheridan, Jr., is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Cooper Health System. He is responsible for the operations of Cooper University Hospital and Cooper’s more than 50 satellite offices throughout the region. He also is a member of The Cooper Health System Board of Trustees. Mr. Sheridan joined Cooper as Senior Executive Vice President in July 2005. He became Chief Administrative Officer in March of 2007 and President of Cooper University Hospital in September 2007. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of The Cooper Health System in February 2008. Mr. Sheridan’s career spans forty years in governmental service, the practice of law and healthcare. Before joining Cooper, he was a senior partner and Co-Chairman of the law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, LLP, which he joined in May 1985. While at Riker, he served for a number of years as General Counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Carrier Clinic. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Carrier Clinic, a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in Belle Mead, N.J. for 25 years. Mr. Sheridan also served in the Cabinet of Governor Thomas H. Kean as Commissioner of Transportation, and as Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation from 1982 to 1985. Earlier in his career, he served as Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey, Assistant Counsel to Governor William T. Cahill, and Counsel to the New Jersey Senate Minority. Mr. Sheridan graduated from St. Peter's College and received his law degree from Rutgers Law School. Mr. Sheridan also served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. John Sheridan is a member of The Cooper Foundation Board of Trustees and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Camden Partnership and the Camden Special Services District. Mr. Sheridan is a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey and an Advisory Board member for the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs.
	JEFFREY YARMEL Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey N. Yarmel is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Cooper Health System. His career spans thirty years, almost entirely in executive-level healthcare administration. He also has extensive experience in turnaround efforts. Mr. Yarmel joined Cooper in 2004, after serving as Chief Executive Officer for Warminister Hospital, a for-profit hospital operated by Tenet Healthcare in Warminster, PA from 1998 through 2003. He led the turnaround of his hospital and, over his tenure there, not only attained profitable status but also achieved national recognition for both patient and physician satisfaction. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President for Strategic Business Development at Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation in Philadelphia from 1996 to 1998 and Chief Operating Officer for Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia from 1991 to 1996. He has also served as Director of Professional Services for the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond, VA and held the position of Assistant Professor at the School of Allied Health Professions-Department of Health Administration. Mr. Yarmel also held a variety of administrative positions of increasing responsibility at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals between 1976 and 1984. Mr. Yarmel received a Master of Arts in Business from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI in 1976; and holds a bachelor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, awarded in 1974.
	DENNIS A. PETTIGREW Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mr. Pettigrew has over 35 years experience in management positions. He has served as a Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer during his career. As an accomplished healthcare executive, Mr. Pettigrew leads the financial team at Cooper. Mr. Pettigrew is a financial leader with proven strength in maintaining profitability, and is skilled in business development, revenue cycle, physician relationships and acquisitions. Mr. Pettigrew received his Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and his Masters in Business Administration from Ball State University. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and was named “CFO of the Year” by Modern Healthcare in 1992.
	CAROLYN BEKES, M.D. Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Academic & Medical Affairs Carolyn Bekes, M.D. is the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs for the Cooper Health System. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Bekes was awarded a Master of Health Administration from Widener in 1995. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at Cooper, and Nephrology at Cooper and Hahnemann. Dr. Bekes came to Cooper as the Director of the Intensive Care Unit in 1977, a position she retained until 1993 when she was asked to develop Cooper’s Clinical Outcomes program. She served as Vice President for Medical Affairs at Cooper from 1993 to 1999, at which time she was appointed Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer. Dr. Bekes is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Bekes has demonstrated leadership in critical care medicine at a national level. She served as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Test and Policy Committee for Critical Care (the group which write the critical care board examination); and has risen through the leadership of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (the national critical care professional organization), finally serving as President of the organization from February 2000 – February 2001. She has also served as President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Chair of the American College of Critical Care Medicine Board of Regents and Chair of the Critical Care Education and Research Foundation. A resident of Cherry Hill, NJ, Dr. Bekes has also been a foster mother for two Vietnamese children.
	GEORGE J. WEINROTH, ESQ Chief Operating Officer for Cooper University Physicians George J. Weinroth, Esq., a retired principal in the law firm of Mattleman, Weinroth, and Miller, was Chairman of The Cooper Foundation's Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of Trenton State College, and earned his J.D. with honors from Rutgers University School of Law. Mr. Weinroth has been instrumental in organizing various fund-raising events on behalf of Cooper, including the Mercedes-Benz Golf Tournament and the Gala Extravaganza. Professionally, Mr. Weinroth is licensed to practice before the Courts of the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and all U.S. District Courts pertaining thereto. He has been a Municipal Court Judge for Oaklyn and Woodlyne; and President of the Camden County Municipal Court Judges Association.
	ARTHUR WINKLER, ESQ. Executive Vice President for Corporate Support Services Arthur Winkler, Esq, is Executive Vice President for Corporate Support Services for the Cooper Health System. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. He joined the Racing Department as a Vice President of Subsidiary Wagering in May of 1999, having previously served as House Counsel from 1980 to 1983. Prior to joining the authority in 1980, Mr. Winkler practiced law privately and held a number of positions in State Government, including Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Law, Assistant Counsel to the Governor, and Assistant Commissioner for Education for Research, Planning, and Evaluation. Between his stints at the Authority, Mr. Winkler practiced law privately and was President of both Freehold Raceway and Garden State Park Racetracks. Mr. Winkler also served as a Trustee of The Cooper Health System from 1994 to 1997, at which time he joined Cooper's executive management as Vice President/Legal Affairs and Compliance. Mr. Winkler is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and received his law degree from Rutgers University/Newark in 1969.
	GARY YOUNG Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy Gary S. Young is the Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy for The Cooper Health System. His career spans over thirty years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, statistical consulting, and government relations. Mr. Young has extensive expertise in health policy and regulatory affairs in New Jersey. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from The Pennsylvania State University. He also received a Master's Degree in Sociology with a concentration in market research, and held a research fellowship in applied statistics and economics, also at Penn State University. Mr. Young began at Cooper in 1985 as Director of Planning and Marketing. He was subsequently promoted to Vice President for Planning and Marketing in 1996, and then appointed Executive Vice President for Planning and Marketing in 2000. He has served as Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Community Affairs since 2001. He has published papers on public policy and taught at Penn State University, Drexel University, and Rutgers University. Mr. Young has been a member of various health care strategy and government relations committees in both the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, and is currently Chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Council of Teaching Hospitals. Mr. Young is an active member of the American Sociological Association and the American Statistical Association. He is also a member of the American College of Health Care Executives. Mr. Young and his family are residents of Cherry Hill, where he is involved in the community and his daughter's extracurricular activities.
	DIANNE CHARSHA, R.N., M.S.N., N.N.P.-B.C. Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Dianne Charsha, R.N., earned her BSN at Wilkes College in Wilkes Barre, P.A. She completed her MSN at the University of Pennsylvania, where she specialized in perinatal nursing. In 1992, she earned her Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner post graduate degree in neonatal nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Charsha has worked in a variety of clinical settings including pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, pediatrics, well nursery, women’s health and obstetrics. Prior to becoming Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Cooper, she had been a MCH clinical nurse specialist, a neonatal nurse practitioner, a nurse practitioner manager, and director of neonatal services. Ms. Charsha has also demonstrated leadership in nursing at a national level. She has presented numerous neonatal topics since 1988 and is the author of chapters, articles, and videos all with the goal of enhancing nursing knowledge.