Nagowski
Cape Fear Valley Health chief executive officer Michael Nagowski announced Jan. 30 that he plans to retire effective July 1.
Bladen County Hospital and clinics in Bladenboro, Clarkton, Dublin, Elizabethtown and White Lake are part of the Cape Fear Valley Health system. Also, under Nagowski’s guidance, Cape Fear Valley Health made a $1 million investment in Bladen Community College to strengthen workforce development programs.
Cape Fear Valley Health’s executive committee, acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees, named Chief Operating Officer Dan Weatherly as interim chief executive officer, effective immediately, with Nagowski helping with his transition. Weatherly has served as COO since 2015 and also serves as president of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, the system’s flagship hospital.
“Cape Fear Valley is a much more progressive and responsive health system under Mike’s vision and leadership than it was 18 years ago,” said Dan Weatherly, Chief Operating Officer and President of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. “When a leader retires, the hope is that he leaves the organization stronger than when he arrived. The growth and progress we enjoy today are a direct result of Mike’s hard work.”
Weatherly joined Cape Fear Valley Health in 2011 as director of outpatient operations and has more than 25 years of experience in health care leadership.
Nagowski has served as CEO since 2008, guiding Cape Fear Valley Health’s growth from a county hospital into a fully integrated system that now includes eight hospitals and nearly 100 care sites serving multiple counties across southeastern North Carolina. His tenure has been defined by strategic expansion, system integration and a steadfast commitment to ensuring access to high-quality care close to home.
Under his leadership, Cape Fear Valley Health significantly expanded its role in medical education and workforce development. Nagowski fulfilled a long-standing commitment to establish graduate medical education programs, resulting in residency programs across several disciplines with approximately 330 physicians currently in training.
Nagowski also played a key role in forming a landmark partnership with Methodist University to establish the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine. The new medical school represents a major investment in addressing physician shortages and expanding access to care for future generations.
His leadership extended to major infrastructure and service enhancements designed to meet the region’s growing health care needs. Nagowski oversaw the vertical expansion of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center’s Valley Pavilion, adding new patient floors, 100 beds and increased hospital capacity. The project included rooftop helipads to improve emergency access and patient transport efficiency while strengthening critical care delivery.
Beyond hospital operations, Nagowski championed strategic partnerships and community investments centered on education, workforce development and wellness. Along with the Bladen Community College investment, Cape Fear Valley Health made commitments to the region, including a $2 million investment in Fayetteville Technical Community College to support nursing and allied health education and a $2 million investment in Fayetteville State University to advance education and workforce initiatives. An additional $900,000 supported student health and wellness facilities at Fayetteville State University.