VALENCIA, Calif., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Roger Seaver, president and CEO of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, has been named chairman of the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) for 2009.

Seaver's distinguished appointment includes significant responsibilities, such as leading the board in developing public policies to help improve accessibility and quality of healthcare services and enhancing communication and consensus on public policy and health reform among members.

"It's a great honor, and a testament to Roger's visionary leadership and countless contributions he has made in the field of healthcare," said James D. Hicken, Henry Mayo's board of directors' chairman. "I am confident he will do a tremendous job addressing critical healthcare issues facing Southern California hospitals."

A highly regarded healthcare executive for the past 35 years, Seaver has been known in the industry for developing market-leading services in community hospitals and providing strategic leadership for addressing community healthcare needs. He was named president and CEO of Henry Mayo in 2001 after being brought in as a consultant to assist the financially troubled hospital.

Among his professional affiliations, Seaver is a member of the executive committee and board of the California Hospital Association, serves on the board of California Healthcare Insurance Company Inc. and Optima Healthcare Insurance Services, and is a member of the Blue Cross of California hospital advisory board.

Seaver's term as HASC chairman began January 1, 2009, and continues through December 31, 2009.
The Hospital Association of Southern California, founded in 1923, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) regional trade association. HASC membership includes 170 hospital and healthcare organizations and represents more than 95 percent of the general acute market in the six-county region of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Santa Barbara.

The mission of HASC is to serve the political, economic, informational and educational needs of hospitals and to help improve the quality and accessibility of health services. Additional information on HASC can be found at www.hasc.org.

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is a 221-bed not-for-profit acute-care hospital serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 1975. Services include trauma, emergency, intensive care, maternity, surgery, nursing, wound care, behavioral health and acute rehab as well as cancer, cardiology, imaging, lab, digestive, respiratory services, and physical and occupational therapies.