Immediate (December 8, 2004)

Maria McClellan

Fletcher Allen Public Relations

(802) 847-2886

Fletcher Allen Chief Nursing Officer Resigns

BURLINGTON, VT - Fletcher Allen Health Care announced today that Mary Botter, Ph.D., R.N., has resigned her position as chief nursing officer and will be leaving the organization in early January to pursue a career in health care consulting.

"Mary has been a dedicated and extremely hard-working member of the leadership team here at Fletcher Allen for the past three years," said Melinda Estes, M.D., president and chief executive officer.  "I value the insights she has brought to so many issues, and I admire her passion for nursing and devotion to Fletcher Allen.  I will miss her greatly."

Botter joined the organization in January of 2002 as director of nursing operations and was promoted to the position of chief nursing officer in June of that year.  During her tenure at Fletcher Allen, Botter has been a strong advocate for the profession of nursing, initiating an effort to move the organization toward magnet status and shining a light on the importance of both the recruitment and retention of nurses.

"This is a bittersweet decision for me," said Botter. "Fletcher Allen is a great organization with great leadership, and I will miss the people here tremendously.  However, I have always wanted to try my hand at consulting on a national level, and now is the right time for me to do that.  Best of all, this will allow me to stay in Vermont."

Botter came to Fletcher Allen from the University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences where she was an assistant professor and served as interim associate dean.  Before coming to Vermont, she held nursing administration positions at Mercy Hospital in Miami, FL; Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA; and the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics, among other health care organizations.

Botter's last day will be January 7.  Jean Harry, M.S.A., R.N., vice president of nursing services, has agreed to serve as interim chief nursing officer while the organization conducts a national search to find a new chief nursing officer.