Lawrence Memorial Hospital President and CEO Gene Meyer speaks Friday, March 30, 2012, during a dedication ceremony for the newly-renovated Oncology Center.

Gene Meyer, longtime president and CEO of Lawrence Memorial Hospital, on Wednesday announced his plans to retire from the hospital.

Meyer, 63, who has been in his LMH leadership role for 18 years, will end his tenure in May 2016.

“I have had a great career working with associates who are committed to helping others,” Meyer said in a press release announcing his retirement. “The past 18 years have been incredible working in Lawrence as the CEO.”

Meyer credited a strong leadership team with the hospital’s success and noted that many of the team members had been with him for close to all of his 18 years at LMH.

He praised the team for its role in the hospital winning national recognition for the past three years from Truven Health Analytics as one of the Top 100 Hospitals. LMH also was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review by making its list of 100 Great Community Hospitals for the past three years.

“You don’t win these things alone,” Meyer said, referring to awards on display at the Wednesday morning Board of Trustees meeting. “You do it with a great team. And my team is exceptional.”

He said he took pride in many accomplishments during his time at LMH, but the first thing that came to mind when asked what he was proud of was the support the people of Lawrence show for LMH. “There is so much community support right now, and that’s something I’m really proud of.”

He also recognized the oncology program at LMH and the staff of the hospital when reflecting on points of pride. “These are really talented people,” he said, and not just of the senior staff. “This is really a good group of people, and the tenure of the staff is a really good indication that these people are committed to a career in health care, and that says a lot.”

Rob Chestnut, chairman of the LMH Board of Trustees, congratulated Meyer at Wednesday’s board meeting.

“I have a lot of confidence in this organization and its ability to move forward and be successful in the future, and it’s a tribute to what you’ve built and the people you’ve built around it,” Chestnut said.

Meyer is widely credited with helping lead a turnaround of the finances of the not-for-profit hospital. When Meyer was hired, LMH had posted financial losses, said Janice Early, the hospital’s longtime vice president of marketing and communications.

“When Gene came to LMH it was going through some really challenging times in the community,” Early said.

Under Meyer’s tenure, LMH has consistently posted revenues that exceed expenses. In 2014, the hospital had revenues that exceeded expenses of about $11 million, which the hospital used to reinvest into capital improvements or build cash reserves. Early said the financial success has come because Meyer built strong community support.

“People choose LMH today,” Early said. “That was Gene’s message and vision. He wanted LMH to be the best community hospital.”

The LMH board of trustees plans to launch a national search for Meyer’s replacement in the near future, and will hire a consulting firm to help in the search, Early said.

During Meyer’s tenure, LMH’s total patient visits have grown from nearly 85,000 visits in 1997 to 211,289 in 2014. In 18 years, LMH has reinvested more than $201 million back into the hospital for expansion and improvements. There have been more than 200,000 square feet in new construction, including a medical office building and new emergency, surgical and oncology center facilities.

Right up until Meyer’s announcement, he was earning awards: The Kansas Hospital Association announced on Friday that Meyer will be the recipient of the Charles S. Billings Award for lifetime service and continuing contributions to health care in Kansas.

Before joining LMH, Meyer was senior executive officer for Saint Luke’s South in Overland Park. He began his career at Spelman Memorial Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., in 1980.

After retirement, Meyer will be the executive in residence for the Kansas University Health Services Administration program, and he will be volunteering for several causes in Lawrence.