Hospitals Announce New CEO Selection

 

(Bend, Oregon)  The board of directors of Cascade Healthcare Community, the parent company of St. Charles Medical Center – Bend and St. Charles Medical Center – Redmond, announced their choice today for a new chief executive officer.  Jim Hobbs from St. Louis, Missouri, a veteran healthcare CEO and chief operating officer (COO) for a number of hospitals and health systems, will succeed longtime St. Charles and Cascade CEO Jim Lussier when he steps down on June 30.

 

The announcement concludes a six-month national search that drew more than 130 applicants.  A subcommittee of the Cascade Healthcare Community board, with the help of an additional community representative and a professional executive recruiter, narrowed the field over the last several months.  The entire board then reviewed the final candidates, with input from current senior management at both hospitals and medical staff leadership from Bend and Redmond, to make the final selection.

 

“This search was focused on finding a candidate with a balance of exceptional management experience and expertise in healthcare, personal values in tune with our healing philosophy and the ability to lead and inspire caregivers to continue on the path of excellence we have established,” explained board chair Jim Petersen.  “Having had the opportunity to review more than 100 candidates for the CEO position, we’re confident that Jim Hobbs best fits that description.”

 

Hobbs most recently held the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer for Sisters of Mercy Health System in St. Louis.  The system comprises 17 acute care hospitals with 4700 beds, 27,000 caregivers and 5,000 medical staff.  Hobbs held that position from 2000-2003. 

 

Prior to that, he served as president and CEO of Unity Health, an integrated region of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, overseeing the activities of 10 hospitals in two states.  Through his nearly 20 years of healthcare management experience, Hobbs has provided CEO and COO leadership to hospitals and health systems in Missouri, North Carolina and Georgia.  His experience includes executive leadership of hospitals ranging in size from 65 to more than 600 beds.  

 

In addition to his broad experience in healthcare, Hobbs holds a master’s of business administration with an emphasis in healthcare administration.   He has also served in local, regional and national leadership roles with the American Hospital Association, the American College of Healthcare Executives and various state hospital associations. 

“I am looking forward to working with an already successful organization to move things to an even higher level,” noted Jim Hobbs.  “This organization has been strong in the past, is strong today and we’ll work to ensure that it will be strong in the future.  I am excited about having the opportunity to build on such a solid foundation.  It gives us opportunities to serve the community and region in ways that other hospitals and systems lost sight of long ago due to financial difficulties.  While we’ll face our share of challenges, this organization is in a position to really take things to the next level in terms of care, innovation and service.”

 

The Cascade Healthcare Community board of directors is composed of local individuals appointed to represent the interests of Central Oregon residents and bring together a wide range of skills needed to guide and govern the healthcare organization.  Board members include: James Petersen, chair; H. Leon “Spike” Biggers; Janelle Beers; Dan Murphy, MD; Ann Smith; Stanley Shepardson, MD; Jim Lussier; Dennis Dempsey; Carol Woodard-Kozimor; Ryan Patrick; and Judy Delahunt.  The board appoints members for three-year terms with a maximum service of nine years.  The board currently includes members with expertise in law, education, medicine, accounting, human resources consulting, business management and other fields. 

 

Jim Lussier will step down as CEO on June 30, concluding a 34-year career in Central Oregon healthcare.  He will be retained on a part-time, consultative basis in the role of President Emeritus.  Lussier joined St. Charles in Bend in 1970 and became CEO in 1989. 

 

Hobbs will move to Central Oregon later this year.  In the meantime, he will be conferring with Lussier, the CHC board, hospital executives, managers and caregivers periodically to prepare for the July 1 transition. 

 

St. Charles Medical Center – Bend is a 181-bed regional referral hospital serving more than 240,000 residents of Central and Eastern Oregon.  It offers services ranging from open heart and neurosurgery to comprehensive cancer care and rehabilitation for stroke and major trauma.  SCMC-B has 250 physicians on its active medical staff representing 40 specialties and subspecialties. 

 

St. Charles Medical Center – Redmond is a 48-bed community-based hospital.  It offers 24-hour emergency care; inpatient and outpatient care, including outpatient surgery; rehabilitation services; imaging services and a range of additional clinical services.  SCMC-R has 40 physicians on its primary medical staff. 

 

The two hospitals are embarking on a $108 million expansion and remodeling project to transform the facilities in both Bend and Redmond to accommodate continued growth in Central and Eastern Oregon.  This is by far the largest building program in the history of either hospital.

 

 

CEO Hobbs Photo:  Jim Hobbs will assume the role of President and CEO of Cascade Healthcare Community — the parent company of St. Charles Medical Center - Bend and St. Charles Medical Center - Redmond — on July 1.  He will succeed Jim Lussier who joined St. Charles in 1970 and has served as President and CEO since 1989. 

 

CEO Three Jims: Jim Hobbs (left) will assume the role of President and CEO of Cascade Healthcare Community — the parent company of St. Charles Medical Center - Bend and St. Charles Medical Center - Redmond — on July 1.  He will succeed Jim Lussier (right) who joined St. Charles in 1970 and has served as President and CEO since 1989.  Jim Petersen (center), chairman of the CHC board of directors, made the announcement January 27, concluding a six-month nationwide search.