Primary Health Network Names Garrow CEO

SHARON, Pa. — The Primary Health Network board of directors announced Friday that its chief medical officer Dr. George Garrow will take over as the new CEO.

Garrow succeeds Thomas Burich, who served the past two years as acting CEO, according to a press release. After an extensive search involving dozens of external and internal applicants, Garrow will assume his role June 1.

Primary Health Network provides access to primary and specialty care services across 50 sites throughout 16 counties in Pennsylvania and one in Ohio.

The board extended its sincere appreciation to Burich for his work since taking the helm of the organization in 2020.

Garrow joined Primary Health Network in 2016. His past roles include director of medical oncology at Sharon Regional Health System in Hermitage, Pa., and chief medical officer of Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland. He has also served as medical director of Sharon Regional Hospice in Hermitage and on the Sharon Regional Health System Board of Directors.

“It is an honor to be selected as the new leader of PHN,” Garrow said. “I consider it a privilege to have served the community health center mission for the past six years as chief medical officer. I look forward to working with the entire PHN team to fulfill our mission of providing access to care and services that is compassionate, equitable and of the highest quality.”

Garrow received his medical degree in 1985 from the Milton S. Hershey Medical School of Penn State University and his bachelor’s degree in 1981 from the University of Pennsylvania. He also performed post-doctoral training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colo.

He serves on the advisory board of the Clinical Translational Science Institute in Hershey, the Penn State College of Nursing Age-Friendly Care Initiative at University Park, and as a member of the board of trustees for Warren (Pa.) State Hospital, and boards of directors for both Buhl Community Recreation Center in Sharon, Pa., and Buhl Regional Health Foundation, also in Sharon.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.