FARMINGTON – David Robie of Madrid Township is the new regional director of Franklin Emergency Medical Services at Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Robie will begin his work at the Farmington hospital Jan. 3. He will lead a hospital division of 100 paramedics, emergency medical technicians and other staff providing ambulance service to 70 communities over 2,000 square miles, according to a hospital press release.

Robie has more than 25 years’ experience in insurance and health-care leadership, most recently as director of patient financial services at the Sisters of Charity Health System in Lewiston.

After graduating from the University of Iowa, Robie worked in the insurance industry for 20 years, leaving that stage of his career as a vice president of marketing. After that he was head of operations at a health maintenance organization, then directed patient finance activities at a large regional hospital system in New Jersey.

He was a financial consultant to hospitals through the New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey region for two years before coming to Maine and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Sisters of Charity in 2002.

“We are very pleased to bring someone of David’s caliber to Franklin Memorial,” said Richard Batt, hospital president. “It is a special advantage that he is already connected as a resident and community leader and knows firsthand the financial challenges of the towns we serve.”

Robie and his wife, Ginni, live in an 1860s farmhouse in Madrid that they renovated. They are the parents of five adult children. The couple is involved in a variety of community activities including The Zone coalition, a program to help youths lead healthy lives and keep free of drugs and alcohol.