FARMINGTON - Trustees at Franklin Community Health Network and Franklin Memorial Hospital have announced the appointment of Portland native Rebecca Ryder, currently working in Mission, Texas as the new president and chief executive officer.

The appointment will be effective January 5, 2009, according to Doug
Walrath, chair of the health network's Board of Trustees. Ryder will replace
Richard Batt, who will be retiring at the end of December, after fifteen
years of service.

"I am pleased to report that the recruitment process was very inclusive and
thorough. We reviewed an outstanding group of candidates from a national
search and our decision was unanimous to offer the position to Becky Ryder,"
said Walrath in making the announcement.

Ryder has been the interim chief executive officer of McAllen Medical
Hospitals since 2006. McAllen is a health care system located in McAllen,
Texas consisting of three hospitals: McAllen Medical Center, McAllen Heart
Hospital, and South Texas Behavioral Health Center.

Ryder received her master's degree in community health nursing from Boston
University and a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of
Southern Maine. She is a certified fellow of the American College of
Healthcare Executives.

Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Ryder began her career as a nurse and
worked at Mercy Hospital as administrator for nursing before moving to the
Intermountain Healthcare System in Utah. She also served previously as the
chief operating officer for the Providence Medical Center in Washington
state.