Hospital foundation CEO steps down
By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express
Days after the announcement of garnering more than $1 million in donations for new kidney dialysis machines, Bob Baker, the CEO of the Lakeridge Health Foundation, is stepping down from his role.
“I am very proud of our accomplishments at Lakeridge Health Foundation,” states Baker in a news release announcing that he was leaving. “The foundation is truly engaging our donors to advance the Hospital’s critical needs to ensure our community has excellent health care.”
When contacted by The Oshawa Express, Baker says he has no further comment.
Baker first came on board with the foundation three years ago in April 2012, having previously been the CEO of the Oshawa Hospital Foundation.
That foundation amalgamated with the Lakeridge Health Whitby Foundation in 2012 to become the Lakeridge Health Foundation, with Baker at the helm.
Baker took over the top spot of the Oshawa foundation after its previous CEO, Jim Szeman, was fired after a forensic audit found that he “had caused the foundation to enter into a number of transactions without the knowledge or approval of the board,” according to a statement released at the time.
Findings from the audit were passed on to Durham police, but no charges were filed.
Szeman later launched a $2.8-million wrongful termination lawsuit.