administrators of Pike Manor

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Dec. 7, 1999 10 PM

Pike Manor Health Care Center has broken new ground in naming two administrators to fill the void left by the death of longtime administrator Ralph Railey.

Dianne Smith and Linda Railey were named administrators of Pike Manor by owner Hugo Marx III and will share equal authority in running the the health care facility.

Smith was the former assistant administrator and Railey was the administrative assistant.

Both Smith and Railey said they are comfortable with sharing the administrative responsibility of the 213 bed facility.

"In addition to the residents, we have 210 employees and there are so many regulations and requirements for running a health care facility that it’s good to have someone to consult with on major issues," Smith said. "Mr. Railey’s death was so sudden that the idea of assuming his responsibilities was overwhelming. It would have been a lot for one person to take over, especially under those circumstances."

The new administrators said the idea of shared administration of the facility was one that Ralph Railey and Marx had discussed.

"Mr. Marx read about the concept in the Wall Street Journal and, although it has not been done at a health care facility before, he thought it was an idea worth pursuing here at some future time," Railey said. "There are so many aspects of running a health care facility and Dianne and I have strengths in different areas. Our strengths will compliment each other and we believe this is a good arrangement for us and for Pike Manor."

Smith said she and Railey have found it beneficial to communicate daily with each other "so the left hand will know what the right hand is doing."

"Mr. Railey made this facility what it is today and we want to make sure it doesn’t skip a beat," Railey said. "We want to continue to keep it the respected facility it was during the years Mr. Railey was here."

Smith said Railey operated Pike Manor with an open door policy and that policy will continue.

"We will make ourselves available whenever there is a need or a concern," Smith said. "We want Pike Manor to continue to be the outstanding facility it has always been and we always want to be receptive to our employees, our residents and their families and our community."

The administrators said although the facility will continue to be run in the same caring manner as always, they do have some plans for a couple of physical changes – additional parking and a dining room expansion.

Other than that, it will be business as usual at Pike Manor for the new administrators.