Furst Group Recruits President and CEO of Blessing Health System
June 10, 2026 – Furst Group, which serves the healthcare and insurance industries, recently helped to recruit Mike Trachta as the president and CEO of Blessing Health System. “The board sought a leader who could shape long-term strategy, strengthen key partnerships, and preserve Blessing Health’s independence while advancing operational excellence and financial stewardship,” Furst Group said in a LinkedIn post. “Mike Trachta brings extensive experience leading across complex health systems, including oversight of multiple hospitals and statewide rural strategy development. He is known for building aligned urban and rural networks, advancing clinical integration, and serving as a trusted partner to boards and physicians.”
“His ability to balance growth, autonomy, and community commitment made him an exceptional fit for this role,” the firm continued. “Congratulations to Mike and Blessing Health System on this important appointment.”
Blessing’s board engaged Furst Group, a national healthcare executive search firm with 40 years’ experience for the CEO search. The selection process involved gathering feedback from members of the Blessing boards, employee leadership and medical staff.
“Mike matches the qualities the board outlined when this search began last September,” said Gary Gillespie, chairman, board of trustees, Blessing Corporate Services. “He is a mission-driven, community-focused leader with a track record in community health, care quality and access, employee engagement, and organizational success and growth. Board members were also impressed with Mike’s vision for and understanding of rural healthcare.”
Mr. Trachta has 27 years of healthcare leadership experience, in rural hospitals, urban hospitals, and most recently in a large integrated health system as vice president of community hospitals and health system operations with MercyOne, based in Des Moines, IA. He is also a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“I am honored to join the Blessing Health System team,” said Mr. Trachta. “Blessing has an impressive reputation as a strong independent health system and I look forward to working with clinical, business, and community leaders to build on the success of this valuable regional asset.”
Blessing Health System is an independent, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization based in Quincy, IL, serving communities across western Illinois, northeast Missouri, and southeast Iowa. The system includes hospitals, physician practices, a college of nursing and health sciences, specialty healthcare businesses, and a charitable foundation. Blessing Health System provides a broad range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and specialty medical services and is focused on improving community health through patient care, education, and regional healthcare partnerships.
Related: Furst Group Recruits CEO for Delaware Hospice
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. 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.
Furst Group Fills CEO Position for PracticeWise
Furst Group has placed Eric Meier as the new CEO of PracticeWise. “Practicewise has appointed Eric Meier as its new CEO, further strengthening its focus on providing evidence-based solutions in pediatric and adolescent mental health,” said Sharon Gabrielson, chair of the board of directors. “Eric brings extensive experience in the healthcare sector, particularly in software development and mental health innovations. His extensive leadership experience across healthcare and technology, and his proven track record of strong organizational growth are exactly what we need to achieve our mission of providing evidence-based behavioral health solutions to as many children and their support systems as possible. Eric’s appointment marks an important next chapter for PracticeWise as the organization continues to strengthen its impact, deepen partnerships, and support the delivery of high-quality, evidence-informed care.”
Bob Clarke, chairman of Furst Group, has been a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards for more than 30 years. His acumen in executive search and integrated talent management is valued by hospital systems, managed care organizations, medical groups, indemnity companies, end-of-life care providers, healthcare associations, and other medical delivery systems across the U.S. Mr. Clarke concentrates his work at the board and C-suite levels for providers and payers of every variety, creating recruitment processes and counseling boards and search committees. He also partners with boards of directors of healthcare organizations to manage C-suite transitions, develop succession plans, assess leadership teams, and implement leadership development programs.
Johns Hopkins Medicine Search
Furst Group also recently assisted in the recruitment of Enbar Cohen as its new vice president, human resources of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “We’re excited to welcome Enbar Cohen as our new vice president of human resources,” Johns Hopkins Medicine said in a LinkedIn post. “Enbar joins us from Jackson Health System in Miami, bringing extensive expertise in talent strategy, employee and labor relations, and building strong workplace cultures.”
“For more than a decade, Furst Group has partnered with Johns Hopkins Medicine on critical leadership needs,” Furst Group said in a LinkedIn post. “This engagement also continues that relationship following our earlier placement of Kristena Lukish, who served the organization with distinction for eight years until her recent retirement.”
Related: Furst Group Recruits CEO for Point32Health
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
