Polla Hired By Health System

DAYTON - A two-year contract was approved last Thursday night that will put Dale Polla in the top CEO spot at the Columbia County Health System.

"We've pursued all efforts to find the right individual," said Ted Paterson, chairman of the health system's board.

Polla, of Missoula, Mont., had been in the Dayton area looking for a house to buy after sending a counter offer back to the hospital board negotiation committee weeks ago. He said Thursday night he had planned to buy the home of former CEO Charlie Button.

The position has been vacant since former CEO Charlie Button's resignation in May. Button left the dis- trict to take on a new job at Star Valley Medical Center in Afton, Wyo. Jon Smiley, a former hospital administrator with decades of experience from Sunnyside, had taken the job as interim CEO dur- ing the search. Thursday night, Smiley thanked the board and staff for his time at the health system and commended them on their care.

"It is not easy to run a small operation," Smi- ley said.

Smiley will be working with Polla for three days this week to help him learn the ropes before Smiley departs.

Polla is expected to learn the ropes in no time. He most recently worked as an administrator at the Missoula Health and Rehabilitation Center in Missoula, Mont., where he was em- ployed from June 15, 2011, to May 18, 2012. Polla said he started his career in bank- ing after graduating from the University of Idaho in 1971 and receiving his master's degree from Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle in 1981. He now has 25 years of experience in the health care field and more than 22 years as a health care administrator in three states.

Polla previously told the Times that Dayton seems like a good fit for him and his wife, Kathy Polla. He said he and Kathy love the rural, small community and Thursday night he said he is excited to make their home in Dayton.

"It's looking good and there's plenty to come," Polla said.

Polla's contract to serve the health system from Oct. 1, 2012 through September 2014 was unanimously ap- proved by the health system's board. Board member Jim Kime was absent.