Community Business Leader and Publisher Named to Sutter Health Board of Directors

SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 8, 2005 - Northern California business and community leaders, Andrew A. Pansini and Mary G. Brown, have been named to the board of directors for Sutter Health, a family of physicians, not-for-profit hospitals and other medical services throughout Northern California. Pansini and Brown, also trustees of their local Sutter-affiliated hospitals in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, bring an understanding of their local communities to these network leadership roles.

They assume these positions at a time when Sutter Health is redoubling its efforts to preserve and enhance access to health services throughout Northern California. In response to community need, the organization is investing approximately $5.7 billion over 10 years to improve or replace dozens of community-based hospitals and outpatient care facilities and to expand physician services throughout the region. Sutter Health also is spending $1.2 billion on information technology to improve care and support its caregivers.

"Andy and Mary understand California's challenging health care environment and the importance of local governance in identifying and meeting community health care needs," said Ted Saenger, chair of the Sutter Health Board of Directors. "Sutter Health patients and communities will benefit from their sincere commitment to ensuring that quality, accessible health services be improved for generations to come," he said.

The Sutter Health board of directors oversees the not-for-profit organization, which supports the delivery of health care in more than 100 Northern California communities. It is comprised of community leaders from throughout the region. In addition, local or regional boards - whose members include unpaid volunteers representing the communities served - independently govern each of Sutter's affiliated hospitals and medical foundations.

A native of Northern California, Pansini is president and chief executive officer for Savoy Corporation, a San Francisco-based firm that owns and manages commercial real estate in Northern California. Pansini was formerly president and chief executive officer for Jandy Industries, Inc. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Marin Community Health, which oversees Marin General Hospital and Novato Community Hospital. He is a former member and past chair of the Novato Community Hospital Board of Directors. Pansini attended College of Marin and the University of San Francisco.

Brown, along with her husband Chip Brown, founded Hills Newspapers, Inc. At one time, they were responsible for the publication of 18 community newspapers and magazines in the East Bay, Monterey Peninsula and San Joaquin Valley areas. Deeply involved in her community, Brown is a trustee for Sutter-affiliated Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland and Berkeley, and has served on the governing boards of numerous other civic, academic and corporate entities. She currently serves on the boards of the Oakland Public Library Foundation, Samuel Merritt College and Holy Names University. Brown attended Maryville College of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis and the San Francisco College for Women.

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Contact
Karen Garner
Communications Manager
916-286-8297
garnerk@sutterhealth.org