Ascension Alexian Brothers, a 329-bed hospital in Elk Grove Village, Ill., has appointed Ellis Hawkins president, marking his return to Ascension Illinois after a stint with Prime Healthcare.
Mr. Hawkins previously served as president of Ascension Saint Mary-Chicago, which Ontario, Calif.-based Prime acquired — along with seven other Ascension hospitals — in March 2025. He rejoins Ascension two years after first joining the health system.
During his tenure at Saint Mary, Mr. Hawkins improved the hospital’s length-of-stay index, led the facility through Magnet redesignation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, improved the consumer experience and restructured the family medicine residency program, Ascension said in a Feb. 24 news release.
“Following an extensive national search, we found exactly what we needed right here in Ellis,” Polly Davenport, DSc, RN, senior vice president and ministry market CEO for Ascension Illinois, said. “Ellis is a highly qualified leader with extensive knowledge of healthcare in general and Ascension in particular. I’m happy to welcome him back to lead our largest Chicagoland hospital.”
Mr. Hawkins has more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience. Before joining Ascension, he was president of Touchette Regional Hospital in Centerville, Ill., where he oversaw the design and construction of a replacement hospital and restructured the behavioral health service line. He also previously served as president of SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis and as SSM Health’s system service line executive for cancer care.
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