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Kaiser announces new Chairman and CEO

 

 

The board of directors of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan have named Bernard J. Tyson the next chairman and chief executive officer. Tyson will succeed current chairman and CEO George Halvorson, who has served in the role since 2002 and recently announced that he will retire next year.  Bernard Tyson, current president and chief operating officer of Kaiser Permanente, will join the board of directors next month. He will assume the role of CEO after a six-month transition period. Halvorson will remain chairman through the end of 2013, at which time Tyson will assume the role of chairman and CEO.

“The full board of directors underwent an extensive internal and external search process, meeting regularly to consider a number of highly qualified candidates, to identify the next leader of Kaiser Permanente,” said Kim Kaiser, board member and chairman of the search committee. “The board’s decision to offer this position to Mr. Tyson is a testament to Kaiser Permanente’s robust internal succession planning process. During Mr. Tyson’s 28 years at Kaiser Permanente, he has demonstrated excellent leadership and vision for this organization, uniquely qualifying him to serve as our next chairman and CEO.”

Tyson, has held his current position as president and COO for almost two years. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president of health plan and hospital operations for Kaiser Permanente as well as senior vice president and COO for the organization’s regions outside of California where he provided overall direction for business initiatives and strategic best practices between the regions.

“I am deeply honored to follow George Halvorson’s incredible leadership and to serve this great organization as its next chairman and chief executive officer” says Tyson. “As we continue down the path of health care reform and the transformation of the health care industry, I am excited about leading an organization so committed to high-quality and affordable care for everyone.”

“The board made an excellent choice,” says Halvorson. “Bernard has done an extremely good job as president and COO of Kaiser Permanente, and I am confident he will continue to perform at the same level as chairman and CEO.”

Tyson is chair of Executive Leadership Council — an organization that includes current and former African-American CEOs and senior executives at Fortune 500 and equivalent companies. He also serves on the board of directors of the American Heart Association. Tyson has been recognized for his work both within and outside of health care. In 2010, he was named one of the most powerful minorities in health care by Modern Healthcare magazine.