Sanford CEO named AHA chair-elect designate

Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health, was named chair-elect designate of the American Hospital Association, representing around 5,000 hospital members. He is now in line to become AHA chair in 2027.

“It’s an incredible honor to be named chair-elect designate of the American Hospital Association,” Mr. Gassen said in a news release. “This is a pivotal moment for health care in our country, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and help carry forward the AHA’s strong legacy of advocating for hospitals and health systems across rural, urban and suburban America. I’m committed to ensuring our members’ perspectives are heard – and that we stay focused on forward-looking strategies to strengthen care delivery and improve the health of the communities we serve.”

Mr. Gassen became CEO of Sanford Health in 2020 and has dedicated the last five years to transforming rural healthcare for the system’s more than 2 million patients and 425,000 health plan members. He launched a $350 million virtual care initiative in 2021 to improve access to care and is adding 15 residency and fellowship programs to strengthen the pipeline of rural healthcare providers.

Before stepping into the CEO role, Mr. Gasson was chief administrative officer, corporate counsel and chief human resources officer. He is an AHA Board of Trustees member and sits on the board of Oscar Health.