John Gizdic, Novant Health’s chief operating officer, will become president and interim chief executive on January 1, 2027. Photo courtesy of Novant Health; cropped from an official newsroom headshot.
Novant Health has named Chief Operating Officer John Gizdic its next president and interim chief executive, effective January 1, 2027, as longtime CEO Carl Armato prepares to retire at the end of this year.
The leadership transition puts an existing operational leader in charge of a nonprofit health system that now spans 22 hospitals and approximately 900 locations across the Carolinas. Armato’s retirement takes effect December 31, according to Novant’s November 10 announcement.
Gizdic’s appointment is interim, not a permanent CEO selection. Novant’s board said it unanimously chose him to lead through the transition.
An operator with experience inside the system
Gizdic has been chief operating officer since May 2024, after serving as executive vice president and chief administrative officer beginning in 2021. His experience with Novant and its predecessors extends more than two decades.
Before joining Novant, he led New Hanover Regional Medical Center, where he became president and CEO in 2017.
In his current role, Gizdic oversees operational performance across the system’s hospitals and medical group. His responsibilities also include strategic integrations and emergency preparedness, according to his official leadership biography.
A handoff after years of expansion
Armato joined Novant in 1998 and became president and CEO in January 2012. The system expanded during his tenure through acquisitions and new hospitals, including New Hanover Regional Medical Center and facilities in South Carolina.
Novant says annual operating revenue rose from approximately $3.5 billion in 2012 to nearly $12 billion in 2025, while net assets increased from about $2.2 billion to $8.2 billion. Those figures describe the organization’s reported growth during the period, rather than a forecast for its next chief executive.
The system now reports 45,000 team members and 9,100 employed and independent clinicians across two states. The January handoff will place Gizdic at the head of that larger organization; the board described his appointment as providing continuity through the transition.
The announcement does not describe an immediate change in patient services or facility ownership. It establishes the leadership transition and its dates, with Armato remaining CEO until his retirement takes effect.
JBizNews Desk | Health
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