News Release

Contact: Tom Hayes 612-873-3337 06/09/09
New chief executive officer named at HCMC
The Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. (HHS) Board of Directors today named Arthur Gonzalez, Dr.P.H. its new chief executive officer. HHS is the public subsidiary corporation of Hennepin County that operates Hennepin County Medical Center, a Minneapolis trauma center and public hospital and clinic system. Gonzalez replaces Lynn Abrahamsen, who last year announced her intention to retire in 2009.

“We are confident that in Art Gonzalez we have a CEO who will provide outstanding leadership and be a great fit for Hennepin County Medical Center,” said Mark Bernhardson, HHS board chair. “He has a long and distinguished career in hospital management and has led a variety of public, for-profit, not-for-profit, faith-based, and teaching hospitals during his 35-years of service.”

Gonzalez has a Doctor of Public Health degree with an emphasis in Health Services Organization and Administration from the University of Texas and a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University. He is board certified in healthcare management by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Most recently, Gonzalez was President and CEO of Tri-City Healthcare District, a public health care system in Oceanside, California for 10 years. In addition to Tri-City Medical Center, he has served as the chief executive officer of Schumpert Health System in Shreveport, Louisiana; St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas; and Kino Community Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. During seventeen years with Hospital Corporation of America, Gonzalez served in various administrative roles at several Texas hospitals.

“The job of leading a major medical center is complicated and challenging during good times, but in this economy it calls for an even higher level of skill and vision, so we are fortunate to have found a leader who has his breadth and depth of experience and qualifications,” said Anita Pampusch, former president and CEO of the Bush Foundation, former president of St. Catherine University, and current HHS board member who headed the search committee.

“Hennepin County Medical Center is a special place with a special mission,” said Gonzalez. “It is fortunate to have a sophisticated governing board and the strong support of Hennepin County. It also benefits from a highly skilled and dedicated medical staff that shares the hospital’s commitment to quality and service. I believe HCMC has the foundation to face the current challenges and thrive in the future.”

HHS conducted a national search and was very interested in offering Gonzalez the CEO position in December. At the same time, a newly elected majority on the Tri-City Healthcare District board, who was seeking to recruit a new administrative team of their own choosing, voted to replace the administrative team of that hospital. The board’s action created significant public controversy in that community.

“We asked the search committee to perform due diligence into the situation and to extensively evaluate his work history. The committee also considered other candidates and Gonzalez again emerged as the quality leader we were looking for,” said Bernhardson.

Gonzalez will replace Lynn Abrahamsen who has served in leadership roles at HCMC since 2001. She will remain as CEO until June 30.

“Lynn has done an outstanding job of successfully guiding the medical center through a significant change in governance and during difficult economic times,” said Mike Opat, Hennepin County board chair and member of the HHS board of directors. “Thanks to her leadership, HCMC remains a top teaching institution; safety net and critical care hospital and clinic system; and leader of emergency preparedness for our region.”

Hennepin County Medical Center is a nationally recognized Level 1 Trauma Center with the largest emergency department in Minnesota. The comprehensive academic medical center and public teaching hospital includes a 465-bed acute care hospital and primary care and specialty clinics located in downtown Minneapolis, and four primary care clinics in Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin County.

For the twelfth year in a row, Hennepin County Medical Center is listed in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the top U.S. Hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” report.