Hospital CEO resigns amid scrutiny
Darryl Wolfe exits after 19 years
Olympic Medical Center (OMC) CEO Darryl Wolfe has submitted his resignation, effective immediately, after 19 years with the hospital. The official statement from OMC cites “personal reasons” for his departure, but the timing raises questions among Clallam County residents.
Engaged residents have closely followed OMC leadership recently, raising concerns over executive compensation, management decisions, and transparency issues at the publicly funded institution. Wolfe’s annual compensation, which exceeded $280,000, had been a frequent point of contention—especially as OMC pursued and ultimately passed a property tax levy earlier this year, citing financial strain.
OMC Board President Ann Henninger thanked Wolfe for his service and confirmed that an interim CEO will be appointed soon. The Board is expected to discuss interim leadership and begin the search for a permanent replacement at its upcoming meeting on August 6.
Hospital press release
PORT ANGELES (July 31, 2025) – Olympic Medical Center (OMC) announced today that Darryl Wolfe, Chief Executive Officer, has tendered his resignation to the Board of Commissioners, citing personal reasons.
“Darryl has shown a steadfast dedication to patients, generous service to our community, and strong support for our providers and employees,” said OMC Board President Ann Henninger. “We deeply appreciate his commitment to OMC over the past 19 years, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Wolfe shared with OMC employees today: “This is a difficult decision, but for personal reasons it is a necessary one. I cannot overstate the gratitude I feel for the experiences I have had . . . for the past 19 years here at Olympic Medical Center.”
The Board of Commissioners plans to secure an interim CEO as soon as possible. The board will discuss placement of an interim and the estimated timeline for the search of a permanent CEO at OMC’s August 6 board meeting.
A $280,000 salary seems a bit high for the region and for the observed performance! Clearly the Board needs to embrace a merit based salary approach and pay for performance!
This episode raises a correlary point I'd like to share: Based on my recent research, Clallam County's Personnel Costs accounts for 69–72% of total general fund spending, making wage-driven increases the largest budget pressure. Personnel and benefit costs are expected to rise 9–12% year-over-year, translating into a 5–8% net increase after vacancy adjustments. Reviewing other similar sized County's around the U.S., Clallam County's Personnel costs are about 10% higher (i.e. ~55%). So, once again it looks like we have a local Government paying itself more and more without metrics and measurable outcomes for the Public tied to the money being spent!