From left to right: Rev. Dr. Sunny Lopez (President/CEO of Bethany Methodist), Vera Lampe (Administrator of Chestnut Square at The Glen), Joan Loyd (Resident Council Chair), Terry Arceo (Director of Partners in Healthcare), and Fritz Soon (Director of Partners in Home Healthcare).

This autumn, Bethany Methodist began a new chapter in their 130-year mission with the move of the corporate offices to Glenview and the appointment of Rev. Dr. Sunny Lopez as the seventh President and CEO of the organization.

Rev. Dr. Stephen Dahl, recently retired as CEO after 35 years and now serving as Chairman of the Bethany Methodist Board, said, “Sunny has been an integral part of Bethany’s corporate leadership since 1992 and there is no one better to lead us into the future…In addition to strategic planning and corporate oversight, Sunny’s background also includes a strong passion for building upon Bethany’s close relationship with the UMC’s Northern Illinois Conference. She has earned the trust and respect of everyone she meets, and we are blessed to welcome her to this expanded role.”

Given the changing economic climate for small, independent hospitals, the Bethany Board of Directors recently made the decision to sell the Chicago Campus— consisting of Methodist Hospital and Bethany Retirement Community—to Thorek Memorial Hospital, a fellow non-profit organization. Methodist Hospital was able to remain independent considerably longer than most similarly sized facilities, and this transfer of ownership (effective October 1, 2019) will make it possible for the campus and the remaining staff to continue providing exceptional care in the Andersonville neighborhood. 

Bethany’s Glenview campus, consisting of Chestnut Square at The Glen (an independent senior living community), Partners in Healthcare (private duty caregiver services), and Partners in Home Healthcare (Medicare-certified home health providers) will remain under the ownership and management of Bethany Methodist. 

The Bethany story began in 1889 with the faith-filled vision of Mrs. Lindgren, who asked her son to go out to the Swedish Methodist congregations to raise enough money to build Bethany Retirement Community in Chicago. The story unfolded in many ways over the years in response to the changing times, but the core of its mission has remained the same: to provide faith-based exceptional heath and housing programs for seniors. David Carlson, who retired this November as Chairman of the Bethany Methodist Board, said in reflecting on Bethany’s past and future: “The heartbeat of any organization is its people…and Bethany’s heart has always been strong.” 

Rev. Lopez agrees and believes that the Bethany team at the Glenview campus feels the strength of the Bethany heartbeat as they move forward. Looking to the future, Sunny also shared, “I am excited to be a part of writing the next chapter of the Bethany story with our amazing staff and the residents and clients we serve.” 

To learn more, visit www.bethanymethodist.org or call 847.904.5122.