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Hannah Underhill

Mountain East Medical Center

224-553-8892

hunderhill@memc.com

For Immediate Release

DEPARTMENT HEAD LEAVES

A new man will be at the helm of Mountain East Medical Center’s purchasing department, taking the department to greater heights than ever before.

Johnny Toler will assume the role of department head after his predecessor, Bob Wilkinson, departs from his role as head of the hospital’s purchasing department. Toler was Wilkinson's assistant head and officials believe he is well-equipped to take on the new position.

“Bob’s abilities will be greatly missed at this hospital, but I know that Johnny Toler is a person we can all depend on to do whatever is necessary to keep his department going,” Harry Illscott, Mountain East Medical Center’s administrator, said.

Toler has been employed by Mountain East Medical for 13 years. Initially he held the position of assistant druggist in the center’s pharmacy and moved to the purchasing department in 1978 following the pharmacy’s closing.

“This hospital means a great deal to me and my family, and I will give my best efforts to making our purchasing department the best,” Toler said.

Toler’s background is in pharmacy. He worked under Wilkinson for several years.

“I learned from a fine man,” Toler said, “and I hope I can continue to build on the foundation he established.”

Wilkinson graduated from Virginia State University’s school of hospital administration in 1972. His employment at Mountain East Medical was preceded by his role as the purchasing chief of a small rural community hospital in the area.

Illscott shared Toler’s feeling of optimism regarding the change.

“I have great faith in him,” he said in reference to Toler.

Toler is married and has two children. His wife, Carolyn Toler, is the head of the gynecology department at Mountain East Medical.

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Mountain East Medical Center was established in 1894 by Dr. R.F. Janger with a vision to provide quality medical care by using the latest techniques and health practices available. The Center is located in Obichiwan, Va., in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is lauded for its excellent standards, particularly in its maternity wing and intensive care unit. Harry Illscott is the hospital’s current administrator.