HOISINGTON — After being President and Chief Executive Officer of Clara Barton Hospital for four years, Chuck Waters is retiring, but will continue working through January 2011.

Waters has enjoyed his time in hospital administration. "There is a unique thing about this profession," he said. "The (employees) turn out to be a family. They are all good people."

He said that people drawn to this business have a good heart. "These are people I’ve grown to enjoy being with," he said.

The administrator began his career in computer programming back in the days when there was not much software available. The computer company he worked for sold computers to hospitals and did custom programming.

Waters installed software at a hospital and was then asked to work as an assistant hospital administrator in 1972 in Newton. Following in the footsteps of his father-in-law who was also a hospital administrator he will have spent 39 years in hospital administration.

"It was a great career decision," he said. "I’ve been very blessed working with people." In addition, he said he enjoyed his work because he felt it was a part of Christ’s ministry of healing.

"That changes your whole perspective," he added.

His biggest accomplishment has been "enhancing the management and bringing them together as a team so the hospital functions nice," he said. "We have put together a very nice management team."

"It’s fun working with people who want to work," he said.

John Radke, chairmen of the board, said, "We will miss Chuck a lot. He has had a lot of impact on me and the board."

The hospital has not announced a replacement, although they are in the process of interviewing candidates.

Waters plans to do more relaxing and golfing in retirement. He is married to his wife Susan and has one daughter, Stacey.