United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York - VISN 2

Syracuse VA Medical Center

Medical Center Management
James P. Cody James P. Cody
VA Medical Center Director
(315) 425-4892

Mr. Cody assumed the position of Medical Center Director at the VA Medical Center Syracuse in January 2000, transferring from VA Medical Center in Providence, Rhode Island where he had been the Acting Medical Center Director for one and a half years and the Associate Director for 3 years prior to that.

As the Chief Executive Officer of a 185 bed, tertiary & primary care, teaching Facility with a 50-bed Community Living Center Unit and Community Based Outpatient Clinics in five surrounding sites. Mr. Cody has direct responsibility for the successful administration of the Medical Center's total financial and personnel resources and the coordination of these resources to meet the healthcare needs of more than 190,000 veterans in Central New York.

Mr. Cody earned the degree of Masters in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Health Administration from New York University in January 1981. He had previously earned his Bachelor of Science (BSE) in Health Education from the State University of New York College at Cortland in May 1976. Mr. Cody has kept current in all aspects of healthcare administration by various means which includes: President and Treasurer of the Healthcare Executive Group of Rhode Island, serving as a member of the Senior Healthcare Executive Society of New Jersey (a group made up of the Chief Operating Officers of medical centers throughout the state), participating as a member of the Washington District of Columbia (DC) Hospital Association Planning Committee, serving as the chairperson of an advisory committee to the Group Health Association Health Maintenance Organization in Washington, DC, teaching as a part-time professor at the University of Maryland in their Healthcare Management Program and by completing several continuing education courses. Mr. Cody is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Mr. Cody entered VA system in July 1978 (after initially entering federal service with the Department of Agriculture in March 1977), as a Safety Specialist at VAMC Brooklyn, New York. He progressed through positions of increasing complexity and responsibility at VA Central Office and Washington VA Medical Center in Washington DC, and then at VA Medical Centers in Baltimore, Maryland, Lyons, New Jersey and Providence, Rhode Island.

Michael Swartz Michael Swartz
Associate Director
(315) 425-6718

Mr. Swartz assumed the position of Associate Medical Center Director at the Syracuse VA Medical Center July 2004. Prior to this appointment Mr. Swartz has successfully served as the Director for the Network 2 Diagnostics & Therapeutics Care Line for the past five years.

As Associate Medical Center Director, Mr. Swartz is responsible for day-to-day management of facility operations, resource management and working collaboratively with staff to improve overall quality, veteran satisfaction and access.

Michael Swartz earned the degree of Masters in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Health Care Management from State University of New York at Brockport in January 1991. He had previously earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Ithaca College in May 1985.

Michael Swartz began his VA career in 1984 as an administrative intern at VAMC Batavia. In 1990, Mr. Swartz moved to Syracuse VA Medical Center as the Administrative Assistant to the Director. During his time at Syracuse, Mr. Swartz was responsible for Facility Development, Strategic Planning, Utilization Management and Medical Care Cost Recovery. In 1995, Mr. Swartz transferred to Buffalo VA as Manager, Integrated Health Systems, to coordinate the merger of Buffalo and Batavia VA Medical Centers and developing the Care Line structure for VA Western New York Healthcare System.

In 1996, Mr. Swartz was appointed Clinic Manager, Rochester Outpatient Clinic, overseeing the final construction and activation of the new large clinic, as well as managing clinic resources and day-to-day operations of the clinic. In 1998, Mr. Swartz joined the VISN 2 Network staff when he was appointed VISN2 Chief Operating Officer for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care Line responsible for managing day-to-day operations. In 1999, Mr. Swartz was promoted to Director, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care Line and continues to serve as the Network Care Line Director in addition to his duties as Associate Medical Center Director at Syracuse VA. In 2003, Mr. Swartz served as Acting Medical Center Director for VA Western New York Healthcare System.

William H. Marx, DO, FACS William H. Marx, DO, FACS
Chief of Staff
(315) 425-4899

Dr. William Marx assumed the Chief of Staff position on April 2006. He completed his undergraduate training at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1974. He obtained his medical degree from the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1978. He completed his General Surgery Residency from 1978 to 1983 at Letterman Army Medical Center. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, from 1983 to 1986, where he served as Chief of General Surgery. Dr. Marx then completed a Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at Letterman Army Medical Center from 1986 to 1987. He remained on active duty until 1989.

Dr. Marx entered private practice in Utica, New York, doing general surgery, trauma, and critical care. He was recalled to active duty for Operation Desert Storm for one year. He remained in the U.S. Army Reserves until he retired in 2001. He joined the faculty at Upstate Medical University in 1993. Dr. Marx was the Associate Director of the Trauma Service, Director of Surgical Critical Care, and Surgical Clerkship Director. He is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Critical Care.

Dr. Marx has been involved with the American College of Surgeons as the New York Chapter’s Young Surgeon, Trauma Representative, and President. He is now a Governor of the American College of Surgeons. He was chair of the New York State Committee on Trauma, and he is now Chief of Region II for the Committee on Trauma. Dr. Marx is also Chair of the New York State Trauma Advisory Committee. He has been active with the State Trauma Advisory Committee since 1995. He served as Chair of the Site Survey Subcommittee for four years until assuming the Chair. He has published articles on trauma, laparoscopic surgery, and obesity surgery.