People on the Move: June 7

People on the Move is a rundown of recent hirings, promotions, appointments and other notable movements by professionals in the state. If you’re interested in submitting an entry, please contact news@delawarebusinesstimes.com.

Kathy Tregear, RN, BSN, MSN, MBA, JD, NEA-BC, has been named the new chief nursing executive at Beebe Healthcare after serving as the interim in the role for six months.

Kathy Tregear | PHOTO COURTESY OF BEEBE

“Kathy is an independent, analytical, and systems thinker with strong clinical skills and a deep understanding of issues relating to healthcare access and quality,” said David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE, president & CEO, Beebe Healthcare, said. “She has exhibited compassion, accountability, resilience, and excellence throughout her career, and she will continue to be an asset on Beebe’s ongoing journey to evolve our structures and processes to provide superior access, experience, and clinical services for the people of Sussex County.”

Since starting the interim role on January 1, Tregear has worked to amplify patient flow, optimize hospital efficiencies, and further Beebe’s continued pursuit of the best patient care strategies.

She will continue to work closely with other members of the leadership team to advance patient safety and quality efforts that have already earned Beebe accolades as the highest ranked southern Delaware hospital by U.S. News & World Report, the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for safe and effective patient care, and a four-star quality care hospital according to CMS ratings.

Tregear and Chief Physician Executive Paul Sierzenski, MD, both bring a deep passion to high quality, safe healthcare, emphasizing multi-disciplinary care pathways and protocols to further drive evidence-based practice for industry standard quality metrics such as sepsis, hip fractures, and many other conditions. Together, through a close partnership between physicians, advanced practice providers, and nurses, they will look to further Beebe’s culture of safety that champions teamwork that focuses on continuous improvement that is the foundation of Beebe’s five-year strategic plan.

Tregear has worked in executive nursing roles for more than 15 years and was most recently chief nursing executive and vice president of patient care services at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, before relocating to Sussex County to join Beebe as the manager of quality commitment. 

Tregear earned a JD from Capital University Law School, an MBA from Temple University, an MSN in Cardiopulmonary Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BSN from the University of Texas.

“I’m honored to serve the Sussex County community as Beebe’s Chief Nursing Executive,” Tregear said. “Right now, we are focused on enhancing our care plans and safety protocols to ensure we continue providing the best evidence-based treatment for our patients. We have a phenomenal team here at Beebe that believes in its strategic vision to provide the highest quality care for our patients.”

Seedcopa + SeedcoDE announced the addition of Holly Graver as senior vice president, business development officer.

Holly Graver | PHOTO COURTESY OF SEEDCOPA

Graver previously served as senior vice president of Business Development for the Brandywine Division of Fulton Bank, where she has supported small- to mid-market commercial lending since 2010. She was previously a senior vice president at National Penn Bank focusing on new business development.

“If you do business in southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, then you likely already know Holly from her highly respected work enhancing relationships with bankers, accountants, attorneys and additional business leaders while forging deep connections and support for her community,” Managing Director Sherwood Robbins said. “Holly is a dynamic addition to Seedcopa + SeedcoDE whose knowledge of what lenders require to close loans is only matched by her ability to inspire borrowers to take the next steps to expand their businesses.”  

Graver said, “I’ve spent most of my career in commercial lending, and when I ask lenders what they appreciate most, they repeatedly tell me it’s the connections I make that are always in the best interests of the client. I’m looking forward to continuing that support of lenders, with a deep understanding of what qualifies as an SBA 504 loan and a reputation for giving business back.”

DuPont announced James A. Lico has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

“We are pleased to welcome Jim to the DuPont Board of Directors,” Ed Breen, executive chairman of DuPont, said. “Jim brings a wealth of operating and functional experience running global industrial companies and an exceptional track record of value creation through business transformation. His broad experience including capital allocation and leadership strategies combined with a deep passion for technology and innovation will be a valuable asset to our board as we pursue DuPont’s separation plan to further unlock shareholder value and drive sustainable growth.”

Lico is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Fortive Corporation, a provider of essential technologies for connected workflow solutions. He has held this position and been a member of Fortive’s board of directors since the company’s founding in 2016. Prior to his current role, Lico served in leadership positions in a variety of different functions and businesses at Danaher Corporation after joining Danaher in 1996, serving as an executive vice president from 2005 until 2016. 

Donna Johnson Geist has joined the DelawareCAN Board of Directors. She currently serves as the vice president for Strategic Partnerships at Cognia.

Donna Johnson Geist | PHOTO COURTESY OF DELAWARECAN

Donna began her career as a high school teacher, earning National Board Certification, and later transitioned to district administration. She served as the director of accountability at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington, DC where she spearheaded the implementation of DC’s ESSA plan for Accountability, launched the first-ever DC School Report Card, and developed a statewide accountability framework for all public schools in DC.

Previously, Donna served as the executive director of the Delaware State Board of Education for seven years, where she worked closely with state and national leaders to develop and implement education policies. Her expertise spans standards, assessments, accountability, teacher and school leader development, educational equity, and career & technical education.