Silver Cross CEO 'A Good Friend And Great Leader': New Lenox Mayor

NEW LENOX, IL — New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann on Monday reflected on the death of Silver Cross CEO and President Ruth Colby.

Colby, 69, died suddenly over the weekend after complications during a surgical procedure at a Chicago academic medical center, hospital administrators said Monday.

"Ruth was a good friend of mine," Baldermann told Patch, "and a great leader in our community.

"Her passion for quality healthcare, and compassion for all people, was something to be admired. She will be greatly missed."

Colby served as CEO and hospital president for six years, notching accomplishments that earned her accolades across the board. Colby’s "visionary leadership" earned the hospital national recognition for safety, quality and experience, leading to its 100 Top Hospitals ranking 11 times, a 5-Star Rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and 17 Straight A’s for Safety from the Leapfrog Group.

During her tenure, Silver Cross opened Will County’s first and only Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2022 — the 24-bed Amy, Matthew & Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; introduced an open-heart surgery program in 2019, that is now one of the busiest in the State of Illinois; and championed the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross in 2012, which is among the top three robotic surgery programs in the Midwest.

On a local level, Colby was recognized in February 2023 as New Lenox's Citizen of the Year, and received a standing ovation at the announcement.

"Ruth Colby embodies those qualifications through her leadership, business acumen, and compassion," said Emily Johnson, New Lenox Chamber of Commerce CEO during the ceremony. "As President and CEO of Silver Cross, she has been an integral part of making New Lenox a true healthcare destination. We are so fortunate to have Silver Cross Hospital, an award-winning institution, in our community; but beyond that, we are thankful to have Ruth Colby at its helm."

Colby at the ceremony spoke of her "amazing journey" in her nearly two decades spent at the New Lenox hospital. After joining Silver Cross Hospital in 2005 as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Ruth Colby worked with the Board of Directors to set the organization’s vision and direction as well as overseeing marketing, planning, strategy, government relations, physician relations and recruitment, employed practices, managed care and select operational areas.

“When I started working at Silver Cross 17 years ago, I honestly didn’t know a soul in Will County or New Lenox,” Colby said. “Since 2005, it’s been the most amazing journey for me personally, with the highlight being recognized so unexpectedly, this evening by the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce.”

Colby also thanked the New Lenox community for its warm reception of the hospital, which opened its New Lenox campus in February 2012.

"I can’t emphasize enough how fortunate I felt to be welcomed so warmly by the Village of New Lenox," she said. "And you welcomed our nurses and physicians and all of our employees. During our open houses right before we started admitting patients, over 12,000 people toured the hospital. ... Fast forward to today, more than 250,000 inpatients have been served in our location, and 1,900 New Lenox residents were inpatients at Silver Cross in 2022 alone. We can’t even count the number of outpatient visits—probably close to 25 million over 11 years."

Silver Cross has also been an important economic driver for the village. Nearly 400 medical staff members and employees reside in New Lenox, “enjoying all the benefits of the village,” Colby said.

"I want you to know that my colleagues and I wake up every morning with the desire to far exceed your expectations: to provide safe care, confirmed by 16 straight A’s for patient safety; to ensure outstanding outcomes as noted by our 10th time on the 100 Top Hospitals list; and to be there when you need us most, whether it’s at the Kurtz and Vana Family Emergency Pavilion or at one of our urgent care centers in New Lenox and Mokena."