Steve Stadum will serve as OHSU's interim president.
Courtesy of Michael McDermott / OHSU
OHSU leaders have appointed a new interim president, ending the tenure of Dr. Danny Jacobs, who abruptly announced his intent to step down nine days ago.
Steve Stadum will step into the role Tuesday. He previously worked at OHSU in several roles, including as general counsel and chief operating officer for the Knight Cancer Institute. He came to OHSU from the law firm Ater Wynne, where he rose to managing partner.
While at OHSU, he led or co-led several major initiatives, including the aerial tram project, the buildout of the south waterfront campus, and a major fundraising initiative for the Knight Cancer Institute.
“Mr. Stadum may not have the academic profile of our previous president,” said board chair Chad Paulson, “However the board believes his experience and skills and accomplishments and institutional history make him well-qualified to ensure critical initiatives stay on track during the interim.”
Last week, Gov. Tina Kotek and the OHSU board of directors said in a joint press release that they intended to appoint Stadum to the position. In Sept. he retired from the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, where he worked in several roles, most recently as special advisor to the director.
The board previously planned to appoint OHSU School of Medicine Dean Nate Selden to the role for a three-year term. But Kotek stepped in, saying the board was moving too fast.
The governor’s executive appointments team will help the Oregon health care giant put together a search committee to recruit and hire a permanent president, according to the Friday release.
Chair Chad Paulson said the finalists will be made public. “I think we have arrived at the best possible path given the circumstances,” he said.
The appointment comes as OHSU is seeking approval to acquire Legacy Health, one of its most significant competitors in the Portland metro area. In an announcement Monday, regulators at the Oregon Health Authority said they’ve completed a preliminary review of the deal, and are moving forward with a more comprehensive review due to the “size and potential effects of the proposed transaction.”
The review will be completed within six months “unless extended in accordance with the law,” the release said. During that period, state regulators will “examine the potential impacts on cost, quality, access, and equity for people in Oregon” and are encouraging public comment.
