E.W. Tibbs, president and CEO of Centra Health, has resigned, Centra officials announced in a press release Monday.

Tibbs tendered his resignation to the Centra Board of Directors Thursday, Sept. 27, the release cited. Tibbs was appointed president and CEO of the health care system in April 2013. Prior to being Centra Health’s CEO, Tibbs served as CEO of Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville from 2011 to 2013.

Officials from Centra announced that they will begin a search for a new CEO and president.

The Centra Board of Directors named Michael Elliott as the interim CEO effective immediately, the release cited.

Elliott currently serves as Centra’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He joined Centra in 2012.

“I appreciate the opportunity to follow the likes of George Dawson and E.W. Tibbs, who epitomize servant leadership,” Elliott said. “I am honored to serve in this interim role carrying on their legacy.”

“Under E.W.’s leadership, Centra experienced significant growth and improvements in quality and health care efficiency, helping to create an enhanced culture focused on patient safety,” the release cited. “He was instrumental in leading Centra’s ambulatory strategy which placed facilities closer to patients’ homes to improve access to care. E.W. was also responsible for Centra embarking on a two-year journey to transition to a single electronic health record that became operational this month.”

“The Centra Board of Directors cannot thank E.W. enough for his energy, commitment and passion for Centra and while we wish him well in his next endeavors, we are sorry to lose him and grateful for his service,” Amy Ray, Chairman of the Centra Board of Directors, said in the release.

Over the next few months, the board of directors, in partnership with an outside recruitment firm, will be conducting a search to hire Centra’s new CEO.