The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pleased to announce that effective November 2, 2025, Mr. Harold “Brent” Pharis as the Director of the Fargo VA Health Care System. Mr. Pharis is currently serving as the Associate Director of VA Central Iowa Health Care System.

“Mr. Pharis has extensive experience and is an outstanding choice to fill the role as the new director for the Fargo VA Health Care System.” said Ms. Judith Johnson-Mekota, VA Midwest Health Care Interim Network Executive Director.  “I am certain that the experience he has received in leadership positions in the VA and in the Midwest Health Care Network has prepared him to provide the leadership and guide the employees and volunteers, our health care partners, the community, and importantly the Veterans we are honored to serve.”

Mr. Pharis followed a distinguished military career by transitioning to the VA in 2013. His first role with the VA was as the administrative officer for the Department of Mental Health at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Demonstrating exceptional capability and commitment, Mr. Pharis has since held increasingly complex and responsible positions at various VA facilities across the nation. His previous VA assignment was as the Associate Director at the VA Central Iowa Health Care System. Most recently, he served as the interim Director of the Western New York Healthcare System.

Mr. Pharis holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. He also holds a Master’s in Catalytic Leadership from Dallas Christian College. He is a 2015 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Methodist Health Care Analytics Certificate Program. His dedication to professional development is evidenced by his completion of the VISN 15 Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, and Development (LEAD) Program in 2015 and attaining VA-CASE Lean Yellow Belt Certification.

The Fargo VA Health Care System (HCS) is a Joint Commission accredited medical/surgical hospital with 32 acute care beds, a 38 bed Community Living Center, Primary Care and Specialty Medicine Clinics, and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and one Community Resource and Referral Center. The Fargo VA HCS oversees the provision of health care to more than 34,000 Veterans with approximately 341,000 annual visits living in North Dakota, 17 counties in northwest Minnesota, and one county in South Dakota. The Medical Center is affiliated with the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, North Dakota State University, and other institutions, providing training to medical students. The facility is also a training facility for nursing and allied health care students.

The VA Midwest Health Care Network, also known as Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 23, is one of 18 Health Care Systems in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration.  The Network serves more than 406,000 enrolled Veterans residing in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.  Health care services are delivered through an integrated system of 10 medical centers, 62 community-based outpatient clinics, 8 community living centers and 4 domiciliary residential rehabilitation treatment programs. The Network employs over 16,000 full-time employees and has an annual operating budget in excess of $5.4 billion.