Branum leaves top spot at Family Health Services

SANDUSKY — Don Branum left as the CEO for Family Health Services of Erie County, a community health clinic in Sandusky, to take a similar job in Alabama.Family Health Services is sorry to see Branum go and has launched a search for his replacement, said Dr. James Preston, the chairman of the clinic's board of directors.Branum, whose last day was Feb. 1, accepted a position at Christ Health Center in Birmingham, Ala., a position that allows him to be close to his children, who are in college in Alabama, Preston said.Branum was named CEO of Family Health Services in late 2016, after serving several months as the interim CEO. He did a fine job of rejuvenating Family Health Services, Preston said."We can't blame him, either, for wanting to be near his kids as they go through their college years," Preston said. "Certainly he left without any ill feeling between us and him."Branum said Thursday that he is the chief operating officer for Christ Health."We are a Christian mission organization sharing the love of Christ through providing medical, dental and behavioral health. Currently, two locations, with medical residency and a dental training site. Opening a behavioral health site in March and planning a new site in Auburn Jan. ,2020. We are a little over 3 times the size of Family Health Services," he wrote in a text message."It was a tremendous pleasure to serve Sandusky and Erie County while leading FHS. I am a better person today for the opportunity," he wrote. Christ Health Center operates clinics at two locations in Birmingham and sees about 40,000 medical and dental patients a year, according to the organization's website.In the interim, Dr. Betty Rumschlag, the chief medical officer, and Maria Robinson, the chief financial officer, have been given the authority to keep Family Health Services running until a new CEO is appointed, Preston said.Preston said Family Health Services has received more than 80 applications for the CEO position, both from local candidates and from applicants in other parts of the U.S. He said he hopes a new CEO will be named in the next 60 days.Don Branum, the former CEO of Family Health Services of Erie County, has accepted a similar job in Alabama.