Board of Trustees

Robert E. McKee

Three-year term expires: December 31, 2008

Dr. Robert McKee began his medical career at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., in 1951. In 1955, he was a member of the medical team that performed the first open heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic. In 1958, he left the Mayo Clinic for Butler Memorial Hospital, where for the final 10 years of his career, he worked as an administrator. As someone who was on both the hospital’s medical and administrative staffs, Dr. McKee, now retired, joined the board because of his unique, comprehensive perspective as well as his ability to be objective. “With no personal conflicts at this stage in the game, I can vote on issues according to how I feel the community is best served,” he said. Dr. McKee has seen many changes in hospital care over the length of his career. “One of the big things hospital board members today need to understand is strategic planning,” he said. “In the past, the typical patient came to the hospital for surgery and stayed for about a week. Now those patients will be in and out in one or two days. Patients with serious chronic illnesses are becoming more common. Their needs are different and require different planning for staff, facilities and equipment. This is a big issue of which our board must be and is aware.”

Address: Butler Township

Current Occupation: Retired Surgeon

Education: MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical School; BS Pre-Medicine, University of Pittsburgh

Current Board/Leadership Positions, Memberships:
• Member, Doctor’s Mayo Society
• Member, Mayo Foundation Legacy
• Member, Session, Hill United Presbyterian Church

Former Board/Leadership Positions:
• Chief of Surgery, Butler Memorial Hospital
• President, Medical Staff, Butler Memorial Hospital
• President, Butler County Medical Society
• Chairman, Medical Staff Development Committee

Of Special Interest: Dr. McKee was a captain in the U.S. Air Force from 1953-1955.