Marty Boryszak, a senior health care executive who helped orchestrate a financial turnaround at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, is leaving Catholic Health in pursuit of new career opportunities.

Also on Tuesday, Michael P. Hughes stepped down from his role as Kaleida Health’s senior vice president and chief administrative officer following a 20-year run with Western New York’s largest health system.

Hughes’ departure was announced in September to allow for a smooth transition at the end of the year. Hughes agreed to stay on in a part-time capacity after January to help with public and government affairs at Kaleida.

Boryszak, senior vice president of acute care at Catholic Health and president of Mercy Hospital, also worked his last day at Catholic Health on Tuesday, capping off a more than 15-year run at Western New York’s second-largest health system. Boryszak was named president of Mercy Hospital in September 2022, tasked with stabilizing Catholic Health’s flagship hospital following a major labor strike in fall 2021 that upended the facility’s finances and staff relationships.

“Catholic Health, and Mercy Hospital in particular, have made significant progress during Marty’s tenure,” said James Garvey, Catholic Health’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “With the successful turnaround he spearheaded at Mercy Hospital, and the talented leadership team and skilled caregivers in place to build on this great work, Marty felt it was the right time to pursue new career opportunities.”

At Mercy Hospital, Boryszak built an administrative team that brought in fresh ideas and improved operating performance. Mercy Hospital, which lost almost $100 million in 2021, returned to profitability this year, even without one-time infusions of government grants.

A South Buffalo native, Boryszak rose through the ranks at logistics giant UPS before returning to Western New York. He joined Catholic Health in 2009 as director of financial services at Sisters of Charity Hospital and St. Joseph Campus. He became president and CEO of Sisters Hospital in 2017 and in August 2019 was named senior vice president of acute care at Catholic Health.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Catholic Health credited Boryszak with helping to transform St. Joseph Campus into a Covid-only treatment facility. After, he helped redevelop St. Joseph Campus into a center for outpatient and ambulatory care.

“Throughout his career at Catholic Health, Marty has led many initiatives to improve service delivery and operating performance across our system,” Garvey said. “We wish him well as he begins what we know will be a successful new chapter in his career.”

Hughes, who said it was his decision to depart Kaleida, also has a new job lined up.

Hughes will join Masiello, Martucci & Associates as a partner, effective Wednesday. At the same time, the Buffalo-based lobbying and government affairs firm will rebrand as Masiello, Martucci, Hughes.

Hughes is also a founding partner of Egret Healthcare Ventures, a Western New York investment vehicle founded in 2020 that focuses on medical device innovation. 

“It has been an honor and privilege to be on the Kaleida Health team, to be able to tell the organization’s story in our community and to help advocate for the 10,000 strong who make up this great organization,” Hughes said. “While this was not an easy decision, I am confident now is the right time to hang up my Kaleida Health jersey.”

Hughes was recruited to Kaleida in 2004 as director of public relations and rose through the ranks. He served as the spokesperson for Kaleida and oversaw marketing, communications, government affairs, regulatory issues and planning, foundations, real estate and construction. He also served as policy and strategy adviser to the CEO and executive management team.

Kaleida President and CEO Don Boyd – one of the few current executives with a longer Kaleida tenure than Hughes – credited Hughes for Kaleida’s internal and external Covid-19 communications efforts, dozens of marketing and branding campaigns as well as securing federal and state grants over the years.

Those grants included $191 million to build Gates Vascular Institute, $35 million to build John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital and $71 million to build the new Brooks Memorial Hospital. Hughes also led the lobbying effort to get Oishei Children’s Hospital designated as an “enhanced safety net hospital.”