Kadlec Health System’s CEO has announced plans to retire at the end of this year.

Lane Savitch has been at Kadlec since 2006. He began his Kadlec tenure as president of the hospital and served in that role until he moved to his current position in 2016.

Reza Kaleel, Kadlec’s current chief administrative officer, will step into the chief executive role in January 2019.

“This is a decision I have been considering for some time,” Savitch said in a news release. “Now, is the right time, for my family, me, Kadlec and Providence. I am so proud of all we’ve accomplished together, serving the patients and communities of the region. I am confident Kadlec will continue to flourish and carry out both the daily mission of providing safe, compassionate care, as well as the long-term goal of improving the health of our communities.”

Savitch lists among his proudest achievements as quality and safety initiatives at Kadlec that have earned a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and an “A” grade from the Leapfrog Group. Both honors put Kadlec among the highest rated hospitals in the state. He also points to the outstanding team of Kadlec caregivers, which has grown to more than 3,700 during his tenure.

Savitch is looking forward to spending time with his family, which includes his wife Jill, two children and three grandchildren.

“Lane has made a significant contribution to helping make our community a healthier place,” said Wayne Martin, chairman of the Kadlec community board of directors, in a statement. “Lane’s leadership and experience have put Kadlec on solid footing as we head into the future. His role in the effective integration of Kadlec into Providence St. Joseph Health has been instrumental.”

Kaleel came to Kadlec in 2016 after serving five years as executive vice president and chief operating officer for St. Mary’s Medical Center, a regional trauma center serving a broad geographic area including western Colorado, eastern Utah and southern Wyoming. Reza has worked in hospital administration since 1997, beginning his career in strategic planning and finance before steadily working his way up through various leadership roles in hospital operations.

Prior to living in Colorado, he spent 20 years in San Antonio, Texas, serving as administrator for a hospital in the CHRISTUS system.

“Reza is just the right person to build on the foundation set forth by Lane and the Kadlec leadership team,” said Elaine Couture, executive vice president, Washington-Montana region for Providence St. Joseph Health, in a statement. “We’re grateful for Lane’s outstanding service and look forward to a smooth transition led by Reza.”