Lompoc Valley Medical Center is pleased to announce that Dustin Cheney has accepted the position of controller.
Cheney, who has been the LVMC business office manager since April, will replace Irene Melton, who is leaving after 17 years with the hospital.
Cheney was hired as a staff accountant for LVMC in 2008. In that job, he was responsible for much of the day-to-day accounting for the hospital and helped produce monthly financial reports for hospital management and the LVMC Board of Directors. He was also involved in budget development and monitoring.
“He worked very closely with Irene, who helped train and mentor him in that role, and also to someday assume the Controller role,” Chief Financial Officer Bob Baden said.
Cheney, who is from Simi Valley, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University-Northridge.
“I am glad to be a member of the LVMC staff, and am looking forward to the challenges of my new role as Controller,” Cheney said.
The controller is responsible for managing the day-to-day general accounting functions of the Lompoc Valley Healthcare District, including payroll, accounts payable, purchasing and central services, for the acute hospital, Comprehensive Care Center and The Champion Center.
During her tenure at LVMC, Melton implemented insights for budget development and monitoring and set up new electronic financial systems for improved record keeping. Baden credits her for ensuring there have been several years of no audit adjustments with the annual final audits of LVMC’s financial records.
“Irene has done an exemplary job in her role at the district,” he said.
— Nora Wallace is a public relations coordinator for Lompoc Valley Medical Center.