Albuquerque, N.M. Andrew Turner, founder, board chairman and chief executive of Sun Healthcare Group, has resigned. James Tolbert, the company's lead independent director, will succeed him as chairman of the board, while Mark Wimer, company president and chief operating officer, will become CEO, officials said.

Turner's resignation comes as the company seeks to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection initiated in October. "We expect [Wimer's] transition to chief executive officer will be seamless," said Tolbert, "and that under his leadership the company will continue to successfully develop its reorganization plan and emerge from bankruptcy a stronger enterprise, both operationally and financially."

Sun Healthcare operates long-term care facilities and is the parent company of Sun Factors, which under the competitive bidding project in Polk County, Fla., supplies hospital beds, oxygen and urological products.