HOUSTON (April 26, 2011)

Daniel Kelly, MBA, RN and James D. Witt, MBA, RN have joined Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center as Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) respectively.

As CNO, Kelly will oversee nursing services at the hospital and ensure an interdisciplinary approach to the delivery of patient care. He joins Memorial Hermann from HCA North Austin Medical Center in Austin, TX, where he also served as CNO. North Austin Medical Center is a 332-bed acute care medical center within the HCA/St. David's Healthcare Partnership. Over the last 30 years, Kelly has held nursing positions of increasing responsibility in acute care hospitals. In addition to his 11-year tenure as CNO at North Austin Medical Center, he previously served as CNO within the Tenet Healthcare System and in leadership roles with The Methodist Hospital, HCA West Houston Medical Center and Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center.

Kelly has a MBA in Healthcare Administration from Regis University and a BSN from UTMB Galveston. He is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Texas Organization of Nurse Executives and the Texas Nurses Association.

As COO, Witt will lead day-to-day operations at the hospital and implement strategic initiatives. Previously, Witt served as President and CEO of Provena Mercy Medical Center located in the western Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois. Provena Mercy is a 220-bed hospital within the Provena Health System, an integrated health system operating in Illinois and Indiana.

In his 25-year career, Witt has served in a variety of healthcare settings, including clinical and consulting roles. He has a MBA from Western Michigan University and a BSN from Ferris State University. Witt began his career in healthcare as a staff nurse, working in the operating room with orthopedic and general surgeons.