Sanford and MeritCare Merger Complete

Nov. 2, 2009 – Today the board of trustees for Fargo, N.D. based MeritCare approved a definitive agreement to merge with Sioux Falls, S.D. based Sanford Health. Sanford’s board approved the merger last week. The two organizations are now formally one.

Please announce: The public is invited to watch the news conference live by visiting sanfordmeritcare.com at 2 p.m., Monday, Nov 2. An archived version of the historic news conference will also be available after November 3nd.

For media
- Joint news conference at MeritCare, 2 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2, Media meet in the MeritCare Hospital main lobby to be escorted, 801 Broadway N, at 1:45 p.m. Parking is available on the double deck parking lot directly north of the hospital. Audio is available, see instructions below.

- News conference speakers include:
- Dr. Roger Gilbertson, MeritCare President and CEO
- Kelby Krabbenhoft, Sanford Health President and CEO

Media kits will be handed out and emailed prior to the news conference. It includes a news release, fact sheet, leadership biographies, service area map, photos and other visuals. B-roll for MeritCare and Sanford will be available.

Audio conference: Media choosing to attend via audio conference should call (866) 449-4849, enter code 2346162, by 1:50 p.m. You will be asked to identify yourself. This option will allow you to hear the conference live and ask questions. We will be able to hear you in the news conference so we ask you put your phone on mute until the question/answer portion.

Media contacts:
Stacy Bauer Jones, Sanford Media Relations Coordinator at (605) 366-2432 jonesst@sanfordhealth.org
OR
Darren Huber, MeritCare Media Relations Coordinator at (701) 234-2000
 (ask for beeper 1715) darren.huber@meritcare.com