Llano Regional Hospital admin resigns
Hatch Smith Jr. resigned as CEO of Llano Regional Hospital on April 15. The fifth-generation Llano County rancher and financier accepted a new job. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The newly formed Llano Regional Hospital is searching for a chief administrator following the recent resignation of CEO Hatch Smith Jr., who has accepted another job. The Llano County Hospital Authority Board will oversee the facility’s management until an interim or full-time replacement is picked, which should be in the near future.
“We’ve already got a short list (of potential replacements) that we’re working with,” board President Pat McDowell told DailyTrib.com. “The sooner the better.”
Smith’s resignation became official Tuesday, April 15. He had captained the hospital in its previous form, Mid Coast Medical Center-Central, before Llano County, which owns the hospital, separated from operations manager Mid Coast Health System in March following months of disputes over the facility’s financial viability.
The fifth-generation Llano County rancher and financier was instrumental in bringing Mid Coast to Llano after Baylor Scott & White’s exit in 2021.
In December 2024, Mid Coast furloughed Smith, along with 11 other employees, but he continued to work without pay throughout the hospital’s transition.
“I’ve been working for free for three months after taking a big pay cut the previous year in an effort to support the hospital and its employees,” Smith said. “We got the hospital in a position where it’s stabilized, and I’ve been offered a position that better suits my family’s needs.”
According to a media release from Llano Regional Hospital, the parting was on good terms.
“Llano Regional Hospital is well positioned for a bright future, and we look forward to bringing in new talent who shares our commitment to locally governed, locally accountable healthcare,” McDowell said in the release. “We wish Hatch all the best in his new role.”