Bill Edsel, CEO of Pinehurst Surgical, is retiring at the end of the month.

Edsel has been in charge of Pinehurst Surgical since 1993. He announced his retirement Monday at a staff meeting. The retirement is effective Sept. 30.

"It has been my tremendous pleasure to serve the physicians and employees of Pinehurst Surgical over these 15 years," he wrote, "but as I announced at the [quarterly] meeting last evening, it is time for me to enjoy other pursuits."

Edsel, 66, said that he made the decision more than a year ago and told COO John Rezen about it then.

"You reach a point in your life where you say you need to do something else," Edsel said. "It's about the right time. If I didn't force myself to retire, I'd be here forever."

Before going to Pinehurst Surgical, Edsel was an administrator at Kirbro Medical Center in Cleburne, Texas, for 12 years. But he spent the majority of his professional life in North Carolina.

During the 1970s, he worked as a department administrator at Wake Forest University's Bowman Gray School of Medicine and as an assistant director of operations for Forsyth County Environmental Affairs.

Edsel received a master's degree in political science and administration from Appalachian State University. He earned associate and bachelor's degrees from Guilford College.

Edsel said he is leaving the clinic in good hands.

"Pinehurst Surgical is as strong today, in every facet, as it has ever been," he said, "and you made it that way! The future is bright for this organization to continue to provide services to this community."

Contact Matthew Moriarty at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty @thepilot.com.