When Larry Davy was asked to consider the presidency of Tillamook County General Hospital, his initial reaction was one of surprise. As CEO of Wallowa County Health Care District in northeastern Oregon, he'd seen the completion of a brand-new hospital and had every intention of sticking around for years to come. But he promised to consider the offer.
"I was leaning toward no, unless the Lord really wanted me to," said Davy.
"So, I tried a fleece, like Gideon," he said, referring to the Old Testament hero who asked the Lord for a sign that Israel would be saved. "I told God that I wanted a sign. I wanted someone to call me—who had no reason to call me—on a specific day."
That person happened to be Jere Patzer, president of the North Pacific Union Conference, who left a message for Davy, quite out of the blue.
Needless to say, Davy was surprised, but still unconvinced.
"I tried a second fleece," he said, and "the second one I couldn't ignore."
"So, ultimately I blame God, and Jere Patzer, for coming to TCGH," he said, laughing.
Davy, who came from a secular community hospital, said his work there was like a mission, and he felt reluctant to leave his ministry there. "But my wife and I were determined to let the Lord lead," he said.
And in the autumn, the Lord led the Davys to Tillamook. Larry accepted the position at the coastal Oregon facility to replace retiring president, Wendell Hesseltine.
"In addition to his administrative experience, Larry has a clinical background and is familiar with running a rural hospital with a critical access designation," stated Larry D. Dodds, Adventist Health senior vice president and board chair of the 49-bed hospital. "I am pleased that he has joined our system. I'm confident he will be a benefit to the hospital and its community."
"For me, the exciting part about coming to TCGH is the mission, and the people," said Davy, who previously worked at Adventist Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, for 16 years. "I'm looking forward to working with Larry Dodds again as well. He was the president at AMC during my time there, and I greatly respect his leadership."
"I aim to support our hospital team as we provide top-notch quality care for our patients—body, mind and spirit," added Davy. "The key is to take our mission out to the community—to be an example of what God can do when facilities are committed to Him."
A graduate of Walla Walla University, Davy received his associate's degree in nursing and a bachelor's degree in religion. He also has an MBA with an emphasis in health care from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Davy's wife, Christy, is a registered nurse with expertise in cardiac rehabilitation, chemotherapy and emergency medicine, and would eventually like to join the staff at TCGH. Together, they have three children—Matt and Leah, who attend Walla Walla University, and Abby, who attends Tillamook Junior Academy.
