Longtime SBELIH Board Of Directors Member Honored Upon Retirement

GREENPORT, NY — A man who has served the community tirelessly will soon be closing a chapter. Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital is honoring Thomas E. Murray Jr. upon his retirement from its board of directors, where he dedicated 25 years of service, as well as from the board of the Eastern Long Island Hospital Foundation, where he served from its inception 18 years ago, the hospital said.

Murray joined the Eastern Long Island Hospital's board of trustees in 1999. During his tenure, he oversaw the redevelopment of the emergency department, expansion of the imaging department to accommodate state-of-the-art MRI and mammography, an expanded ambulatory care pavilion, a complete renovation and reequipping of the laboratory, as well as the addition of acute care beds for behavioral health services, the hospital said.

In 2006, Murray was one of the founding members of the ELIHF, "a fundraising organization established to support the hospital’s growth and advancement," SBELIH said.

In 2019, Murray spearheaded the hospital's integration with Stony Brook Medicine and negotiated the change to SBELIH, representatives said.

"This relationship will strengthen our local campus with expanded medical staff and the development of new programs," he said at the time. "Through this collaboration we can deliver a more comprehensive, efficient, and even higher quality of care."

Murray has been a" dedicated member" and chairman of the joint advisory committee, member of the ELIHF board of trustees, and was a charter member of the East End Health Alliance.

"Mr. Murray has been invaluable in guiding SBELIH into the future while ensuring the hospital staff continues to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the community," officials said.

Formerly president and CEO of Hamilton Federal Savings and Loan in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Murray spent more than 30 years in the banking industry, before retiring to the North Fork full-time in 1992. He currently lives in Orient with his wife, Ursula.