Windsor

Former St. Clair College executive named CEO of Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

Dr. Ken Blanchette will begin as CEO of the Health Unit at the end of November.

Dr. Ken Blanchette will begin as CEO at the end of November

Dr. Ken Blanchette has been named the new permanent CEO at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. (Sanjay Maru/CBC)

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has named its new permanent chief executive officer.

Dr. Ken Blanchette will be taking the reins at the local health authority beginning at the end of November, WECHU announced Wednesday.

Blanchette is currently the chair of the board of directors at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and the vice chair of WECHU's Board of Health. He previously served as the associate vice president and chair of health sciences at St. Clair College as well as working as the executive director at ConnexOntario, which is a provincial service connecting people with mental health, addiction and problem gambling services. 

"In Ken's experienced and capable hands, the WECHU's future is bright," Board of Health chair Gary McNamara said in a statement. 

"With a team of capable and professional staff, strong leadership and management, and a course set in partnership with the University of Windsor, our community will continue to benefit from exceptional public health services under his leadership."

Blanchette replaces interim CEO Eleanor Groh who stepped into the role after Nicole Dupuis resigned from the position due to personal reasons related to her family in August of this year. 

"Eleanor has stepped in and led the great team at WECHU for the past several weeks, and we sincerely appreciate her hard work in support of the community," McNamara said.