New CEO appointments, CFO changes at Banner Health
PHOENIX (Sept. 30, 2010) — Today Banner Health announced the retirement of long-time leader Don Evans, chief executive officer (CEO) at Banner Baywood Medical Center, effective Jan. 1, 2011. Evans’ retirement announcement has spurred other CEO changes within the organization.
Laura Robertson, currently CEO at Banner Heart Hospital, will be the new CEO for Banner Baywood Medical Center, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
Debbie Flores will move from her position as associate administrator at Banner Boswell Medical Center in Sun City to become the new CEO for Banner Heart Hospital, also effective Jan. 1, 2011.
The CEO announcements were made by Becky Kuhn, president of Banner’s Arizona East Region, and Kathy Bollinger, president of Banner’s Arizona West Region. In an e-mail sent to employees about these announcements, Kuhn said this about Evans: “Don has had a long, distinguished career in health care and has devoted 22 years of dedicated service to Banner….his many contributions have extended to improving the community as well.”
Evans’ 22-year career at Banner began in 1988, when he joined what was then Lutheran Health Network as CEO. He also served as chief operating officer and senior group vice president of Banner Health Arizona, and has been CEO at Banner Baywood since 2001.
Robertson was named CEO of Banner Heart Hospital in April 2009, after serving previous stints as the hospital’s chief nursing officer, associate administrator, and director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care and Operating Room units. She has more than 20 years experience in cardiac nursing, having begun her career at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in 1988.
Flores is a seasoned health care executive who has served in a series of increasingly responsible management positions over the last 29 years. Prior to her current assignment, she was an associate administrator at Banner Estrella Medical Center. Before joining Banner Health in 2006, Flores was the chief operating officer at Paradise Valley Hospital, West Valley Hospital and Phoenix Baptist Hospital. She started her career in health care in 1981 as a Human Resources professional.
In addition to the CEO changes, a number of Chief Financial Officers (CFO) at Banner facilities have changed locations, effective Oct. 4, as follows:
- Lori Linder, currently CFO at Banner Desert, will become CFO at Banner Ironwood, which is scheduled to open this November
- Cliff Loader, currently CFO at Banner Boswell, will become CFO at Banner Desert
- Scott Leckey, currently CFO at Banner Estrella, will become CFO at Banner Boswell
- Patty Rhoden, currently CFO at Banner Ironwood, will become CFO at Banner Estrella.
In making these personnel changes, Banner Health is capitalizing on and keeping existing leadership talent. The changes position the company well to move toward its goal of industry leadership.
ABOUT BANNER HEALTH
Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns or leases 23 acute-care hospitals, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.
Contact: Nancy Neff
Phone: (602) 747- 3105
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