Gregory Passanante has been named president & CEO of Bancroft, the company announced Wednesday.
Passanante will begin on Jan. 7, 2026, succeeding the retiring Toni Pergolin who served as CEO for more than two decades.
Passanante enters with more than 20 years of leadership experience across hospital administration, clinical operations and nursing. He had led growth initiatives and partnerships aimed at enhancing patient care at prior stops. He previously served as the Northeast Market Administrator for Shriners Children’s Hospital Philadelphia, overseeing four facilities. He served as chief nursing officer at Wills Eye Hospital before Shriners.
The departing Pergolin began her tenure in 2004 as chief financial officer and moved up to president & CEO in 2006. With Pergolin, Bancroft has tripled in size and expanded access to the growing number of people diagnosed with autism and other disabilities.
Passanante was thankful for the role.
“I am honored to be chosen to carry on Bancroft’s incredible legacy,” he said. “The organization’s mission is clear and unwavering and will be my north star as I work with the leadership, families and the Board of Trustees to expand access to services and build on the already impressive clinical expertise.”
Bancroft as an organization has only named 10 presidents in its 143-year history, one of them being the company’s founder, Margaret Bancroft. The process of selecting a new president goes through a search committee of board members and families of those served by Bancroft.
Board Chair Heather Steinmiller explained the process.
“Thanks to Bancroft’s stability, the search for a new president doesn’t happen very often; it’s an exciting time,” she said. “All of us on the committee took this seriously and were very aware of the importance of finding the right fit to continue the legacy of Toni and those who came before her.
