Big news this afternoon concerning Gouverneur Healthcare Services, one of the largest institutions on the Lower East Side. Its longtime executive director, Mendel Hagler, is stepping down.
The decision was actually announced last month but has not been widely publicized. In last month’s report to the board of the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation (HHC), President & CEO Alvin Aviles noted:
At Gouverneur Health, Executive Director Mendel Hagler has resigned, effective September 15th. We will begin actively recruiting to fill his position and will shortly convene a search committee to assist us in this process, including participation by the Gouverneur Community Advisory Board. Mr. Hagler has been a member of the HHC staff since 1983. Please join me in thanking him for his many years of service and in wishing him well in his future endeavors.
A spokesperson for HHC confirmed the news this afternoon, but did not respond to questions about the reasons for Hagler’s resignation. Gouverneur is in the midst of a massive $200 million modernization project, which Hagler spearheaded. There have been significant cost overruns, but today there is no indication that the construction complications were the reason Hagler is leaving Gouverneur.
Hagler, a lifelong resident of Grand Street, has served as executive director of the LES medical center for nine years. He’s worked at the facility in a variety of capacities for almost 30 years.
