GBMC HealthCare Names New Board Chair

GBMC HealthCare today announces the election of Jerry Focas, Esq., as the new Chair of the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors. Focas brings a unique combination of legal expertise, civic engagement, and personal connection to the role. 

Focas has been a longtime advocate and volunteer leader for GBMC. From 2015 to 2024, he served on the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors, chairing both the Governance and Quality Committees. He currently chairs the GBMC Gift Planning Advisory Board, serves on the Philanthropy Committee, and is a proud member of the Elizabeth Duncan Yaggy Society, which recognizes individuals who include GBMC in their estate plans. 

“Having worked alongside Jerry for many years, I have seen firsthand the dedication, innovation, and compassion he brings to his work,” Faith Thomas, Esq., who has served as Chair of the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors since 2022, said. “He is consistently looking for innovative ways to strengthen GBMC, serve our community, and provide resources to meet the needs of patients.” 

In addition to his other service roles within GBMC, Focas chairs GBMC’s 60th Anniversary Committee, as the organization prepares to reach the milestone on October 2, 2025. Celebrations highlight six decades of keeping the community well and how to reimagine the future of healthcare in the region for the next sixty. 

“We are stewards of a remarkable legacy. It’s our job to honor it—not only by remembering where we’ve been—but by boldly preparing for where we are going,” Focas said. “I chose to make a lasting impact with GBMC because they have cared for generations of my family. Serving as Chair of GBMC’s Board of Directors is a true privilege. I am honored to lead us into this period of transition and celebration.” 

Focas is no stranger to a forward-thinking and strategic mindset. As an estate and trust attorney, he has devoted more than three decades to advising families and institutions in preparing for their futures. 

“What makes GBMC great is the people,” said John B. Chessare, MD, MPH, GBMC HealthCare President and CEO, who is retiring this summer after 15 years in the role. “Jerry will make a great Chair of the Board. He is very committed to serving others, he really wants the best for people and his community, and he will do the work to make it happen.”