PORT ANGELES — Jennifer Burkhardt, the general counsel and chief human resources officer at Olympic Medical Center for the past nine years, is no longer employed there.
Bobby Beeman, OMC director of marketing and communications, said in an email Tuesday, “I have confirmed Jennifer Burkhardt’s last day with OMC was Thursday, October 6. OMC will not be commenting on confidential personnel matters.”
Reached Wednesday morning, Burkhardt said that she was not ready to comment on her departure.
OMC board president John Nutter would say only that the seven-member board of commissioners was not involved in Burkhardt’s employment status because it has oversight only over the CEO position currently held by Darryl Wolfe.
Burkhardt reported directly to Wolfe.
Beyond that, Nutter said, “All (board) comments from the hospital will be coming from Bobby Beeman.”
Messages left for Wolfe with his assistant and with Beeman were not returned by deadline.
According to the state Department of Health, Burkhardt received $254,195 in total compensation in 2021, slightly less than Wolfe, who earned $256,989.
OMC is a public hospital district that is owned by the community and governed by a board of seven elected commissioners. As a junior taxing district, it raises revenue through property tax levies.
It is Clallam County’s largest employer; it listed 1,640 workers in 2021. On its website, OMC lists 270 job openings.
Burkhardt was hired at OMC in August 2013 when Eric Lewis was CEO. Lewis retired from OMC in May 2020 to become chief financial officer at the Washington State Hospital Association, the trade organization for health systems and community hospitals in the state.
________
Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached at paula.hunt@soundpublishing.com.
