University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SMRC) welcomed Adrian Larson as its new chief operating officer in Rio Rancho last month, according to UNM President Garnett S. Stokes.

“Adrian Larson comes to SRMC with 13 years of health care leadership, including serving as COO of the Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces,” reads a newsletter that Stokes sent out to UNM community members last week.

Two current SMRC employees precede Larson in the COO position. Jamie Silva-Steele began working as the interim COO at SMRC in 2013, and she has been president and CEO since 2014. Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Pam Demarest was then named COO in December 2018 after working at SMRC for just over four years, according to unmhealth.org.

Larson is from Del Rio, Texas, and has worked throughout the southwest since he began his career. Most recently, he served as the STAT Specialty Hospital District CEO in his hometown and in Eagle Pass, Texas, according to STAT’s website.

STAT described Larson as “a reliable decision-maker, well-versed in business management and operations.”

Larson has a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and expressed his excitement for holding his new position at SRMC in a video posted by UNM Health Sciences.

“The team is very accepting, open to adding me to be part of their administrative team. Everyone has been very receptive and humbling, and I’m grateful that I’m joining them,” Larson said.

He added that his favorite part of being a leader is the people, and he expressed his commitment to understanding how employees stay motivated inside and outside of the workplace.

“What they value and what they have going on in their life is going to change in a year, so you constantly have to have relationships,” he said.

As COO, Larson will oversee the hospital’s support services division, quality, radiology, lab, pharmacy, nursing and ambulatory services, according to Stokes.

“Our commitment to our communities begins with hiring great people,” she wrote. “Welcome to UNM, Adrian; we’re pleased to have you at SRMC.”