VHA Health Foundation Names Board Chair, Adds Directors

IRVING, Texas, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The VHA Health Foundation announced today the appointment of John J. Finan Jr., president and chief executive officer for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, as chairman of the board. The foundation also appointed five new members to its 16-member board.

Finan, who has served on the foundation board since 2001, will serve as chairman for a one-year term. He was also reappointed for an additional three- year term as board member, ending in 2007. Finan also serves on the board of trustees of The Catholic Health Association of the United States and is secretary/treasurer of that organization.

“We are pleased to have such a dedicated and talented board of directors,” said Linda DeWolf, president of the VHA Health Foundation. “With their guidance and keen sense of issues facing the health industry, the foundation will continue to take a highly visible role in finding, funding and disseminating innovative models of health and health care.”

Members to be appointed as new VHA Health Foundation Board members for three-year terms beginning July 1, 2004 include:

 -- Leanne Kaiser Carlson, MSHA, consultant, Kaiser Consulting Network, Denver -- James Dooley, president and chief executive officer, Finger Lakes Health, Geneva, N.Y. -- Linda E. White, president and chief executive officer, Deaconess Hospital, Evansville, Ind. 

The member to be appointed as a new VHA Health Foundation Board member for a one-year term beginning July 1, 2004 is:

-- Sherrie Sitarik, executive vice president of operations, Orlando Regional Healthcare, Orlando, Fla.

Individuals being reappointed for one additional three-year term to the VHA Health Foundation beginning July 1, 2004 include:

 -- John J. Finan Jr., president and chief executive officer, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Inc., Baton Rouge, La. -- Michael L. Langberg, M.D., chief medical officer and senior vice president for medical affairs, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles Members completing their terms are: -- Michael Brennan, president and chief executive officer, United Way Community Services, Detroit -- Joel Wernick, president and chief executive officer, Phoebe Putney Health System, Inc., Albany, N.Y. -- Russ Harrington, president and chief executive officer, Baptist Health, Little Rock, Ark. -- Phil Newbold, president and chief executive officer, Memorial Health System, South Bend, Ind. -- Peter Gallagher, president and chief executive officer, America’s Promise 

The VHA Health Foundation, located in Irving, Texas, is a public foundation created by VHA Inc. to encourage leadership and innovation in addressing health and health care issues. Efforts benefit VHA member health care organizations as well as non-members. The VHA Health Foundation funds programs that focus on new approaches to health and health care that make a difference, generate synergies that bring resources to add value and enhance outcomes, and diffuse knowledge and best practices.

For a complete listing of the VHA Health Foundation board of directors, go to: http://www.vhahealthfoundation.org/vhahf/aboutus.asp

Contact: Lisa O’Steen losteen@vha.com 972/830-0275

Photo: Newscom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011017/VHALOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comVHA Inc.

CONTACT: Lisa O’Steen of VHA Inc., +1-972-830-0275, or losteen@vha.com