ST. LOUIS, June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthony R. Tersigni has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic health system and America’s largest nonprofit health system, it was announced today. The action came as the Ascension Health Board of Trustees concluded a two-day meeting.
“The Board has done considerable work over the last several weeks to identify the leadership skills required for Ascension Health’s CEO for the next stage of our development,” said John O. “Jack” Mudd, Ascension Health Board Chair. “We received and reviewed input from every level of our ministry. After this intense process, it became apparent to all of us that Tony is the right person to lead Ascension Health to the next level.”
Tersigni, 54, has been a healthcare executive for more than 25 years. He has held senior positions with a number of health systems, including serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of St. John Health in Detroit, Mich., Ascension Health’s largest health ministry. In 2000 he became an Ascension Health Regional Executive and was named Chief Operating Officer in January 2001.
He assumed the role of Interim CEO of Ascension Health in January 2004 when former President and CEO Douglas D. French began a sabbatical. In early May French resigned, citing personal reasons.
Since French’s resignation, members of the Board of Trustees have worked steadily to identify the best possible leader for Ascension Health, Mudd said. An outside consulting firm was hired to assist in the structured process that was followed. Interviews were conducted with healthcare executives and input was solicited from throughout Ascension Health and its sponsoring religious orders.
“We had considerable dialogue and discernment in this process,” Mudd explained. “The Board recognized it needed to work with all due speed, but it also wanted to be thorough in its due diligence. We have done both and are confident in the outcome. We’re excited about Ascension Health’s future under Tony’s leadership.”
Tersigni, who holds a doctorate degree in the field of organizational development and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, is also enthusiastic. “It’s a privilege for me to lead this outstanding organization with the mission of serving the poor and vulnerable,” he said. “We have a strong team with a bold agenda to take a leadership role in the transformation of healthcare. Ascension Health is uniquely positioned to make that happen.”
Ascension Health has more than 100,000 employees working in 67 acute care hospitals and dozens of related facilities in 20 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to acute care, the system provides long-term care, community health services, psychiatric, rehabilitation and residential care through a spiritually-centered, holistic approach that sustains and improves the health of the communities it serves. The system has more than $11 billion in assets.
Ascension Health is headquartered in St. Louis. It was formed in 1999 when four provinces of the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth combined their health systems. In 2002 the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet health system became a part of Ascension Health.
Ascension Health
CONTACT: Steve LeResche or Shari Shane, both of Ascension Health,+1-314-733-8208
