Furst Group Recruits Chief People Officer for Fairview Health Services
September 13, 2024 – Talent acquisition strategies at many large companies have become as complex as their balance sheets. And while chief human resource officers play a vital role in overseeing an organization’s broad-based workforce, the chief people officer typically goes beyond overseeing its people policies. The focus instead is on building talent as a key competitive advantage, with more emphasis on culture, which includes values, ethics, and mission. As companies look to build internal brand awareness and set their sights more on establishing and driving their own unique cultures, CPOs are coming more into vogue. And executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist companies across the nation to find new chief people officers.
Executive recruitment firm Furst Group, which serves the healthcare and insurance industries, has assisted in the recruitment of Tanja Oquendo as the new chief people officer of Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis, MN. “We are thrilled to welcome Tanja to Fairview,” said James Hereford, president and CEO. “Her strength in leadership and strategic vision will play a pivotal role to strengthen, innovate, and advance our organization. I am confident that Tanja’s ability to build high-performance cultures while maintaining a values- and mission-driven focus will help our system continue to tackle the unique workforce challenges facing the healthcare industry.”
As CPO, Ms. Oquendo will drive Fairview forward by leading efforts to promote culture, diversity, equity, inclusion, and organizational growth.
Prior to joining Fairview, Ms. Oquendo was chief administrative officer, chief human resources officer, and system senior vice president of transformation and integration at CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest non-profit healthcare systems. Throughout her career, she has driven organizational improvements to support HR and beyond. Ms. Oquendo champions people-first strategies that help organizations exceed goals related to quality, safety, customer service, and engagement.
Fairview Health Services is a non-profit health system driven to heal, discover and educate for longer, healthier lives. Founded in 1906, it provides exceptional care to patients and communities as one of the most comprehensive and geographically accessible systems in Minnesota.
Furst Group, headquartered in Rockford, IL, partners with many of the premier healthcare organizations in the world, from providers and payers to life-science companies and private equity/venture capital firms. While Furst Group’s roots are in managed care, the firm continues to be one of the nation’s leading executive search partners to health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, post-acute, and hospice and palliative care facilities. Its work with insurers stretches back to the HMO era, yet the firm also teams with life science, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies.
Related: Furst Group Recruits CEO for Center for Hospice Care
Furst Group also has offices in Phoenix, AZ; Radnor, PA; San Francisco; Brentwood, TN; Chicago; Irving, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle; St. Louis; and Washington, D.C.
Recent Work
Furst Group recently helped to recruit Terry Forde as president and CEO of Health First in Brevard County, FL. “In Terry we found an experienced and sympathetic leader who shares our passion for patient safety, is committed to providing high reliability, has a proven history of success, and tenacity in building strong, lasting culture,” said Kent Smith, Health First board of trustees’ chair. “The Space Coast welcomes Terry and looks forward to his guidance to further Health First’s legacy of providing exceptional quality and compassionate care.”
Mr. Forde previously served as president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare. Under his leadership over the past 13 years, Adventist HealthCare has earned national recognition for its leadership practices, been awarded numerous quality and safety distinctions, been honored as a trustworthy organization, and been recognized repeatedly for being a top workplace.
Furst Group recently assisted Catholic Health in the recruitment of Meghan Aldrich as president of Sisters of Charity Hospital and St. Joseph Campus. “Meghan’s experience as a nurse executive and operational leader will be a tremendous asset to Sisters Hospital as we continue to accelerate our strategic initiatives across Catholic Health,” said Joyce Markiewicz, Catholic Health President and CEO. “Her leadership and clinical roles in Ambulatory Medicine, Surgery, Nursing, and Emergency Medicine, will help us continue to grow key services on Sisters’ Main St. and St. Joseph Campuses.”
“As a nurse, clinical leader, and healthcare executive, Meghan understands all facets of healthcare, from a quality, patient safety, and patient experience perspective; to supporting the needs of associates and physicians; to providing administrative oversight in acute and ambulatory care settings,” said Marty Boryszak, Catholic Health senior vice president of acute care. “Her experience combined with her passion for innovative, high quality care, will complement both the Catholic Health and Sisters leadership teams.”
Related: Furst Group Recruits CFO for Clever Care Health Plan
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
