Ed Bruff
Covenant HealthCare
President/CEO
Beth Charlton
Covenant HealthCare
EVP/COO/CNO
After a fulfilling 38-year career, Ed Bruff, Covenant HealthCare President/CEO, has announced his retirement on June 30, 2021. As such, the Covenant HealthCare Board of Directors also shared that Beth Charlton will officially transition into the role beginning July 1, 2021.
Bruff started with the former St. Luke’s hospital in 1983 as the Director of Materials Management and shortly thereafter was promoted to Vice President of Support Services. In 1994, he advanced to Vice President of Inpatient Services. Ed held that position until May of 2000, and at that time he assumed the role of Executive Vice President and COO. Then in January of 2015, he transitioned into the role of President/CEO.
“To see the amount of growth since I began is incredible. When I started, St. Luke’s Hospital consisted of one building,” says Bruff. In 1998, a merger between St. Luke’s Hospital and Saginaw General created Covenant HealthCare. “Now, there is a large medical campus with the CMU College of Medicine, construction of the Mary Free Bed at Covenant rehabilitation hospital, six urgent care locations, LifeNet air ambulance, the hybrid OR, and the entire Covenant Medical Group. The evolution and adaptation of this organization is amazing.”
Throughout his career, Bruff has served many roles with organizations in the community including Vice Chairman of CMU Medical Education Partners Board, Vice Chairman of Mobile Medical Response Board, Past Chairman of Saginaw Valley Medical Control Authority, Past Chairman of Saginaw Future, Inc., Member of Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce Board, and Associate for the American College of HealthCare Executives. Bruff has a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Industrial Relations from Michigan Technological University.
Gene Pickelman, Chairman of the Covenant Board of Directors commented that, “Covenant has been truly blessed by Ed’s leadership. He has overseen such a well-run and efficient organization that has benefitted all its stakeholders- the employees, patients, healthcare partners, medical providers and the community.”
At Bruff’s recommendation, and with unanimous support of the Covenant Board, Beth Charlton will transition from the Executive Vice President/COO/CNO position, to President/CEO of the organization.
“I could not be more pleased for Beth, and I take great comfort in knowing that the culture and the values we created will be continued into Covenant’s future; she will do an outstanding job.” says Bruff.
Beth Charlton, a life-long Saginaw resident, began her career in May 1989 at the former St. Luke’s Hospital as a student nurse extern. Today, Charlton brings nearly 32 years of hands-on healthcare experience. She has served in many capacities throughout the organization, including bedside nurse in the pediatric ICU, clinical manager for areas such as critical care, heart failure, and birth center, project manager for electronic medical records implementation, and Director of Critical Care, Progressive Care and Stroke Programs. Since 2015, Charlton has been the Chief Nursing Officer, adding Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer to her title in 2019. Charlton has a Master of Healthcare Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saginaw Valley State University.
Bruff states, “I consider Covenant as one of the premier organizations in the State of Michigan. This has been achieved because of our extraordinary employees, medical staff and volunteers. As I reflect back, I take great pride in what Covenant has accomplished over the years for the benefit of our patients in the community we serve.”
About Covenant HealthCare
From moms-to-be to babies to great-grandfathers, Covenant HealthCare delivers extraordinary care across generations and across specialties in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region. Patients can trust Covenant HealthCare with the health needs of the entire family. With 4800 employees and a medical staff of more than 500 physicians, the Saginaw-based health system offers a broad spectrum of programs and services including high-risk obstetrics, neonatal and pediatric intensive care, acute care, a Level II Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center, cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, robotic surgery, stroke, rehabilitation and more. For more information, visit www.covenanthealthcare.com.