HARTZ Search Seeks CEO for Roper St. Francis Healthcare in South Carolina

February 3, 2020 – Charlotte, NC-based executive search firm HARTZ Search has been selected to find the next chief executive officer for Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) in Charleston, SC. Leading the assignment are Carol Maxwell, the firm’s managing director, and Mike Hartz, president and CEO.

The health system’s previous leader, Lorraine Lutton, recently took a new role as market operations executive with Bon Secours Mercy Health.

The CEO will be charged with implementing a new operating model by integrating influential leadership and physician alignment through a dyad reporting structure, said HARTZ Search. RSFH wants a dynamic and operationally proficient leader with a successful track record of establishing physician alignment and successful partnerships with key stakeholders and the community.

The new CEO will hold responsibility for all aspects of strategic, operational and financial performance of the system, including the innovation of practices; safety, quality and compliance of patient care; community outreach and population health; financial accountability; medical staff relations; leading and developing high functioning teams; and achieving mission and performance standards.

Candidates should have demonstrated success in implementing and leading a dyad operating model, said HARTZ Search. Experience in leading effectively in a complex matrixed environment is also critical, as is physician alignment and business and political acumen.

Prospects must have a sophisticated understanding of and ability to navigate within the context of a large regional integrated delivery system and a complex political and community collaboration, said the search firm. Understanding of joint venture collaboration is essential.

Experience in Market Growth

Candidates must demonstrate experience in achieving market growth, and have significant successful experience in campus development, new business start- up and construction, said HARTZ Search. They should also have a background that includes building high-performance teams, as well as be an effective leader of change and an effective communicator. Prospects must have demonstrated experience in external, public, and philanthropic activities, including the ability to represent and become the public face of RSFH. They should also be impassioned by RSFH’s mission and called to serve the community.

An undergraduate degree in clinical field, business or healthcare as well as a graduate degree in business or healthcare leadership and/or management is required for the role, said HARTZ Search. Candidates should also know, understand, incorporate and demonstrate the mission, vision and values in leadership behaviors, practices and decisions.

They must further seek out, embrace and capitalizes on the advantages of regional and system resources, diversity, scale, replication opportunities, people and intellectual capital. They should also participate and actively engage on the Health Ministry CEO Council to advance system integration and performance.

Other required knowledge, skills and ability include:

• Strategic Plan: leads the formation of the regional vision and strategic plans and ensures the analysis of community needs and the development of supportive programs and services.
• Clinical Delivery: facilitates the development and implementation of integrated clinical service delivery platforms; champions physician alignment strategies that lead to growth within the region.
• Mission and Diversity: develops and sustains an organizational culture that celebrates a diverse community of committed persons serving the healing ministry.
• Talent Development: mentors and develops regional leadership, fostering achievement of goals and objectives, high performing leadership practices, collaboration, innovation and interdependence. Employs participative management and leadership approaches that optimize organization resources and talent effectiveness and organizational learning.
• Community: actively participates in associations and groups within the region. Establishes and maintains relationships with key community and state leaders to facilitate the accomplishment of regional and system goals and objectives.

RSFH is a four-hospital integrated health system with over 671 licensed beds, $1 billion in revenue and 5,000 employees. It is the Charleston region’s second-largest private-sector employer, behind Boeing Co. The health system operates hospitals in Charleston, West Ashley, Mount Pleasant and Goose Creek, SC.

Service-Oriented

Established in 2017, HARTZ Search is a service-oriented, specialty, retained search firm centered on the healthcare and higher education sectors. In addition to its headquarters in Charlotte, the firm has regional offices in Dallas and San Diego.

Ms. Maxwell, who joined HARTZ Search last fall, has 30 years of experience working with executive leadership to solve business issues through working with their teams to reach their potential. In addition to her managing director role, she leads the firm’s Dallas office. She has a depth in healthcare service organizations ranging from large academic medical centers, community hospitals, for-profit and not-for-profit as well faith based health systems.

Mr. Hartz’s diverse background in executive and physician search has given him unique experience in working with executives and physicians within the healthcare and higher education industries. During his 15 years in executive search, he has recruited over 200 executives and physicians nationwide.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media