New member appointed to Trios Health board

The Trios Health board has chosen a new member.

Gary G. Long, who spent years on the Kennewick hospital system’s planning and finance committees, will fill the seat left vacant by the sudden death of longtime board member Kathy Davidson.

The appointment is effective immediately. The seven-member board oversees the Trios Health system, which includes two hospitals and a network of clinics and services.

Long is retired from the Benton PUD, where he spent 30 years in posts including director of operations and assistant general manager.

Eleven people were interviewed for the board seat in June after a public application process. Long was chosen unanimously.

“Gary is a longtime community servant and a trusted advocate for the district,” board president Marv Kinney said in a statement. “His deep operations experience, combined with several years of service on the district’s planning and finance committees, will be an asset to our continued efforts to support and strengthen Trios Health going into the future.”

Davidson died unexpectedly at home on May 14. She first was elected in 2005 and had about 1 1/2 years left on her most recent six-year term.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 1:50 PM with the headline "New member appointed to Trios Health board."