The retired PPL Corp. CEO replaces J.B. Reilly, who is stepping down.
William HechtHecht will finish the term of J.B. Reilly, which ends in December of this year. Reilly resigned from the board of trustees to focus on development in downtown Allentown, according to a news release.
Hecht begins his new role immediately.
“I look forward to working in partnership with my board colleagues to continue to build on what’s been achieved for the benefit of our community under J.B.’s leadership,” Hecht said in a statement. “Lehigh Valley Health Network is one of the gems, not only of our Lehigh Valley, but increasingly, of the region."Hecht served as CEO at PPL from 1993 to 2006. He is a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, where he has served as a director from 2004 to 2009.
An Allentown resident, Hecht holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from Lehigh University.
Reilly is stepping down after 10 years on the board. He is the developer of One City Center, a Seventh Street project near the proposed hockey arena that would include apartments, offices and retail space. The estimated $50 million project is slated to open in September 2013.
“I am extremely proud to have been part of the health network’s ongoing expansion to meet our community’s health care needs,” Reilly said in a statement. “After careful consideration, I have decided to focus my time on the development of City Center Lehigh Valley.”Based in Salisbury Township, LVHN operates three hospitals and other health care facilities across the area. It is the region's largest employer with about 9,800 workers.