FARMINGTON — The Franklin Community Health Network/Franklin Memorial Hospital board of directors has a new chairman and one new board member as it enters a new year. The leadership was made official at their annual meeting, naming Joseph Bujold as chairman. He takes over leadership reins from Doug Walrath, who served two years as chairman.

Bujold, a native of Maine and graduate of Middlebury College, lived in Farmington for 11 years during the 1960s and 1970s at which time he served as president of Bass Shoe Co., then based in Wilton. He later joined an international consulting firm, Alexander Proudfoot, which works with major companies of the world to improve business processes and performance. For 18 years, Bujold ran various units of the company and was based in Brussels, Belgium; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore. He returned to the United States in 1989 to serve as chief executive officer of Alexander Proudfoot Company worldwide.

Bujold and his wife Lee returned to the area in 2004 and reside in Farmington. They are the parents of two grown children, Noelle and Marc.

The board also named one new member, Dr. Wil Eastman of Jay, a former member of the Franklin Memorial Hospital medical staff who practiced family medicine in Livermore Falls from 1972 to 1995. During that time, he also served as state medical examiner. For 10 years, Eastman was the medical director at the Verso Androscoggin Mill, previously International Paper, retiring from that post in 2005. Currently, he serves as a physician consultant for hospice care for Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice.

Officers reappointed for the 2009-2010 year include: Dr. Allen Berger, vice chair; Dr. Armand Auger, secretary; Jef Howell, treasurer; and Dr. David Hyde, president of medical staff. In addition, Howell chairs of the finance committee; Gilly Hitchcock chairs the compliance committee; and Doug Walrath chairs the quality committee.

Also serving on the board are: John Bogar, Darryl Brown, Gilly Hitchcock, Steve Pierce, Shannon Smith, Meredith Tipton, Carol Timberlake, Tim Wallace, Doug Walrath, Waine Whittier and Rhonda Wiles-Rosell.