Dr. Suntha currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center (UM SJMC), a role in which he has served since 2012.
Dr. Thomas Smyth will take the helm as President and Chief Executive Officer of UM SJMC upon Dr. Suntha’s departure for his new role.
Dr. Smyth, a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School and longtime Towson resident, joined UM SJMC as medical director of the UM St. Joseph Medical Group (UM SJMG) in October of 2015, providing administrative and clinical oversight to the employed physicians of UM SJMG.
“Tom Smyth is well known and highly respected among the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Joseph,” said
Dr. Smyth said that he was “humbled by the opportunity to lead” UM SJMC.
“The progress that the medical center has made during the last three years speaks volumes to the character and dedication of its staff and physicians,” he said. “I look forward to continuing the momentum in partnership with Senator Kelly and the UM SJMC Board of Directors and the executive team.”
Dr. Suntha’s history with the University of Maryland dates back to 1991, the year he joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as a resident. Currently vice chairman of the department, as well as the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he plays a key role in the institution’s growth in reach, volume and clinical expertise with emphasis on research, philanthropy, team-building and external affairs. His clinical care and research focus is on patients with complex cancers of the head and neck as well as the esophagus.
He also played a role in the strategic growth of UMMS, serving as vice president for system program development prior to joining UM SJMC.
Dr. Suntha obtained his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, his MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and his undergraduate degree from Brown University. He lives in Baltimore County with his wife and two daughters.
Dr. Robert A. Chrencik, president and CEO of UMMS as well as co-chair of the UMMC CEO Search Committee, said in a statement that Dr. Suntha “brings a superior blend of experience in compassionate patient care and hospital administrative expertise to lead UMMC into the future.”
“Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his acumen for clinical care and hospital management, which will serve UMMC well at a time of evolution in health care delivery in Maryland and throughout the country,” Dr. Chrencik said.
UMMC operates two campuses – the academic medical center on the university campus, and the Midtown Campus (formerly Maryland General Hospital). UMMC’s clinical services and research connections span the state and touch each of the UMMS hospitals and communities.
Dr. Suntha is charged with strengthening this role, as well as advancing UMMC’s mission to support neighbors facing chronic illness and health disparities, working with an array of hospital and community-based programs to improve access to preventive care, manage chronic illness, and promote workforce development in the healthcare field.
“I am very confident in the selection of Dr. Mohan Suntha to lead the University of Maryland Medical Center campuses in serving our patients, personnel, and the community,” said Louise Michaux Gonzales, chair of the UMMC board of directors and co-chair of the UMMC CEO Search Committee. “On behalf of the board, I look forward to a productive and engaging relationship with Dr. Suntha to chart a course for even greater excellence at the medical center.”
Dr. Suntha said that UM SJMC “will forever hold a very special place in my heart for its unique brand of compassionate care and clinical excellence.”
“It will now be my honor and privilege to lead UMMC,” he continued, “working side-by-side with valued employees and physicians in caring for the people of Maryland and the region. I appreciate the vital role that UMMC plays as an academic medical center, an employer, and an anchor institution in Baltimore. I will work diligently to bring forward the best of each of these facets.”
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