Corso

UPMC has named Michael Corso president of UPMC Altoona and UPMC Bedford, elevating him from the interim presidency he’s held since March, when Jan Fisher retired.

Before that, Corso was vice president of operations for the local hospitals, starting in 2017.

“Mike is a dynamic leader with a steadfast commitment to UPMC’s Values,” David Gibbons, regional president and senior vice president, UPMC Health Services Division, said in a news release Friday. “He has a strong focus on the quality of health care available to people in the communities we serve, as well as the experience of both our patients and employees.”

Corso has led many successful programs and services at both hospitals, said UPMC Altoona/Bedford board Chairman Robert Montler, as cited in the news release.

Corso was born in Altoona and raised here by parents who both taught special education in the Altoona Area School District, instilling in him the conviction that everyone deserves the kind of care and attention he showed that patient, according to a hospital vice president who spoke to the Mirror in 2017 for a story about Corso becoming the operational leader.

Corso graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration and from Saint Francis University with a master’s degree in business administration and management.

He began working for UPMC Altoona’s predecessor Mercy Hospital as a college intern in 1994.

Corso is analytical, honest and compassionate, with a sense of humor — and easy to get along with, the hospital VP said in 2017.

In the news release, Corso said he feels honored at the appointment and considers it to be a privilege to play a role in helping “transform and enhance” health care in the region.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.