Cape Fear Valley Health has named Daniel (Dan) Weatherly as Chief Executive Officer, following his service as interim CEO after the retirement announcement of longtime CEO Michael Nagowski.
Weatherly has been with Cape Fear Valley Health since 2011 and currently serves as President of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. He brings more than a decade of leadership experience within the organization, including his role as Chief Operating Officer since 2016.
As CEO, Weatherly will lead one of the region’s largest private, nonprofit academic health systems, which includes multiple hospitals, nearly 9,500 employees and several residency programs. He will oversee systemwide operations while continuing to guide growth, innovation and patient care across the region.

“It’s truly an honor to step into this role and continue serving our community,” Weatherly said in a press release. “The care we provide every day is made possible by everyone involved, from our clinical to our non-clinical teams, including our physicians, nurses and CNAs, our Environmental Services staff who keep our patients’ rooms clean and safe, and our Food and Nutrition Services teams who help nourish and care for our patients. I’m grateful to work alongside such a dedicated group and look forward to continuing that progress together.”
He began his healthcare career as a physician relations manager and quickly advanced into key leadership roles. As COO, Weatherly oversaw operations across all hospital sites, including emergency services, physician practices, surgical services, imaging, EMS and behavioral health. He also played an important role in leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under his leadership, Cape Fear Valley Health has expanded services, strengthened partnerships and advanced its role as a regional academic health system.

Weatherly said the organization will remain focused on workforce development, education and long-term sustainability.

“We are investing in the future of healthcare right here in our region,” he said in a press release. “From expanding our workforce pipeline to advancing our partnerships with local colleges and universities to supporting the development of a new school of medicine, we are creating opportunities that will strengthen care for generations to come.”

He added that maintaining strong community connections will remain central to the organization’s mission.
“Our commitment is simple: to continue serving this community with compassion, excellence and integrity,” Weatherly said in a press release. “As we grow, we will stay grounded in what matters most — improving the health and well-being of every patient and every family we serve.”
Weatherly holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of South Florida and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in healthcare administration from the University of St. Francis.