ATLANTA — A new leader is taking the place of a retiring director at Atlanta's VA hospital. The change will take place on Monday, Sept. 25.
Officials said retiring executive director Ann Brown will be replaced by Dan Dücker, who will serve as acting Medical Center Director for the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center.
Dücker has experience serving as an executive director for VA hospitals across the southeast. He is currently the executive director for the Tennessee Valley VA Health Care System. He has been serving in that role since April 2022, according to the health care system. In his previous roles, he served a team of thousands of professionals and veterans.
On Wednesday, the health care system thanked Brown for her nearly 30 years of commitment to the hospital.
"Her leadership has left a lasting impact on our organization and, most importantly, on the lives of countless veterans and their families. Her tireless efforts to ensure that veterans receive the care and support they deserve have made lasting impact, and her legacy will continue to shine brightly in the VA's mission," officials said.
Dücker will be the acting director until the health care system can find a permanent replacement. The health care explained that they will continue to provide "highest level of care" to veterans while undergoing through the leadership change.
Several 11Alive investigations found veterans in Georgia were waiting months, sometimes years, for critical health care just last year. The Decatur campus most recently received a low rating for VA hospitals across the country earlier this year with a 2/5 star rating.
