Peter Diestel Retires as Valley Health System President of Operations

7/7/22

After 28 years of dedicated service to Valley, Peter Diestel, Valley Health System’s President of Operations, retired in June. He will continue at Valley as a consultant, assisting in the development of transition plans as Valley moves its inpatient care from Ridgewood to Paramus.

Since his arrival in 1994, Peter held multiple executive roles at the hospital, medical group, and system, providing leadership over virtually every area across the organization, including Valley’s COVID-19 response — from the earliest days in March 2020 through multiple waves of the pandemic. His commitment to quality, reliability, and safety helped foster Valley’s efforts to be a high reliability organization dedicated to zero patient harm and 100 percent reliability.

Peter’s many accomplishments include leadership positions for the American College of Healthcare Executives, Association of Healthcare Executives of New Jersey, and VHA Mid-Atlantic Board of Directors. Locally, he helped to develop Valley’s Ridgewood Academy for Health Professions, operated in partnership with Ridgewood High School and Bergen Community College. The Academy has received recognition from the National Career Academy Coalition and has educated hundreds of students in its 15-year history, several of whom have returned to work at Valley.

As Lifetime Benefactors, Peter and his wife Erica have provided support to The Valley Hospital Foundation. Over the years, they have committed generously to the Auxiliary, the annual fund, past campaigns, and most recently, the Foundation’s Serve. Care. Transform. campaign in support of The Valley Hospital in Paramus.