In recommending the board action, The Most Rev. Michael J. Bransfield, bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese, expressed his confidence in R&V.

“The skills, experience and leadership found within R&V, and in particular those of Mr. (Ronald) Violi, have pulled Wheeling Hospital out of its financial difficulties and set it on a path of continuous financial improvement. Extending this contract will give peace of mind and allow R&V to bring improvements in the vital areas medical services and patient care,” Bransfield said.

“This has always been a wonderful hospital providing miraculous care for the people of this region. R&V is helping us make sure Wheeling Hospital will be here for many years to come and will remain a locally owned Catholic hospital.”

Last January, the board retained R&V, of Pittsburgh, to help end the hospital’s cycle of financial losses. In doing so, it named Violi, the consulting firm’s co-founder, as the hospital’s chief executive officer.

After hiring R&V, the board renewed the firm’s contract in June which would have continued its service through January 2007. Thursday’s board action extended R&V’s stay through July 31, 2008.

When Violi took the reins at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s in 1998, the complex was nearing serious financial losses. Violi quickly led the hospital through a complete financial turnaround. He left that post in 2004 and in late 2005, he and Vincent C. Deluzio, a Pittsburgh attorney, founded R&V.

R&V specializes in crisis management, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, turnarounds and restructurings for a wide range of industries with an emphasis on the health care sector.