Cejka Leading CEO Search for Valley-Wide Health Systems
October 1, 2018 – Cejka Executive Search has been retained to find a new president and chief executive officer for Valley-Wide Health Systems, a community-based healthcare provider in Alamosa, CO. The search is being led by Mark Madden, executive vice president and managing principal.
Valley-Wide wants a visionary leader who will provide overall oversight and management of the private non-profit, said Cejka Executive Search. The individual will be expected to ensure the implementation of the organization’s mission and guide the development and execution of strategic and operational plans.
The president and CEO is charged with collaborating closely with the board of directors to advance strategic initiatives and assure optimal financial performance, secure grant funding and foster an emphasis on the quality of the services provided, said the search firm. The new leader will be expected to promote a culture and a high-functioning team that are mission-oriented and patient-centric; identify growth opportunities and form collaborative partnerships with other healthcare or allied professional organizations to further meet the needs of patients; institute and apply best practices based on national benchmarks; and represent Valley-Wide in the community, with government agencies, and on a statewide, regional and national scale.
Candidate Requirements
Successful candidates will have at least five years of proven healthcare leadership experience and expertise in all facets of a community health center system, said Cejka Executive Search. The CEO will have strong business acumen, demonstrated success in managing organizations that serve culturally and socioeconomically diverse patient populations, and an appreciation for the challenges associated with rural healthcare. A master’s degree is highly desirable.
Valley-Wide Health System is a community/migrant health center governed by a volunteer community board. Established in 1976, Valley-Wide has 14 primary healthcare delivery sites strategically located throughout multiple rural counties in Southern Colorado. These full-service clinics are complemented by eight dental clinics, four physical therapy clinics and numerous ancillary health services to address routine and/or complex needs of the patient populations and communities served.
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Along with multiple outreach programs, Valley-Wide also oversees an Agricultural Worker Health Service Program that provides vouchers to patients in areas of the state that do not house C/MHCs. The non-profit serves all ages through a family practice focus approach. Emphasis is placed on assisting the patient, reducing barriers such as cost, culture, language, literacy and transportation that may hinder use of appropriate healthcare services.
Mr. Madden, who joined Cejka Executive Search earlier this year, leads executive search services for senior healthcare executive positions. He has extensive experience leading board search committees in executive recruitment, leveraging his expertise in leadership assessment and evaluation as well as his thorough understanding of the complex issues facing healthcare leaders. With more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Madden provides expertise in healthcare recruitment for C-suite executives, physician executives, medical group practices and senior services administrators.
A Veteran Recruiter
Previously, Mr. Madden spent more than seven years with B.E. Smith serving as SVP of executive search. Prior to that, he was VP of Integrated Healthcare Strategies, a role he held for 17 years.
He has worked closely with boards, search committees, senior-level executives and physicians. His search engagements have included C-suite positions for large multi-site, integrated and tertiary health systems, as well as smaller community hospitals and medical group practices.
“Mark brings a strong track record of partnering with organizations, boards and search committees to achieve successful search outcomes as well as build lasting relationships,” said Paul Esselman, senior executive vice president and managing director at Cejka, at the time of Mr. Madden’s hiring. “We are excited about the added depth his experience and expertise will bring to our already accomplished executive search team.”
Healthcare Recruiters
Cejka Executive Search, based in St. Louis, has provided recruiting services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than 35 years. Its client roster includes Georgetown University Hospital, Northwestern Memorial, Levine Cancer Institute, St. John Providence Health System, Tenet, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Centene Corp., Cape Fear Valley Health, and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.
The firm has conducted searches for an array of roles, including chief medical information officer, chief compliance officer, chief of oncology, chief medical officer, chief of pediatrics, chief of neurology, chief nursing officer, CEO, CFO, COO, department chair, chief clinical officer, medical director and chief strategy officer.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
