Executive News

ACHE Member Update

Ethics Committee Update
ACHE’s Ethics Committee is responsible for reviewing member grievances and recommending actions to the Board of Governors on allegations regarding Code of Ethics violations. During the 2023–2024 committee year, the Ethics Committee considered 18 issues involving ACHE members. Three of these cases continue to be under investigation in 2024. 

The Ethics Committee is also responsible for conducting annual evaluations of ACHE’s Code of Ethics and Grievance Procedure and for recommending updates.

Ethics Committee members are ACHE Fellows who are appointed by the Board of Governors; they serve confidentially, with the exception of the committee chair, whose name is made public. The Code of Ethics, Ethical Policy Statements and other ethics resources are available at ache.org/Ethics. The Ethics Self-Assessment, which allows you to evaluate your ethics-related leadership and actions, how to address individual or team development needs, can be found here: ache.org/EthicsSelfAssessment.  

2024 Fund for Healthcare Leadership Scholars Selected
Seventy-eight applicants have been selected to receive scholarships supported by the Fund for Healthcare Leadership. The number of award recipients are as follows: Thomas C. Dolan Diversity in Executive Leadership Program (13), the Career Accelerator Program (50) and the Executive Program (15).

Over 300 high-caliber executives applied for these prestigious national programs, which provide education, mentoring and networking experiences to prepare under-represented leaders for higher-level positions in hospitals, health systems and other settings.

Named in honor of Thomas C. Dolan, PhD, FACHE, CAE, who served as president/CEO of ACHE from 1991 to 2013, this year’s program will consist of three in-person sessions and multiple virtual sessions, including live and recorded webinars, coaching and self-study materials.

The Career Accelerator Program supports mid-careerists in their professional advancement and is exclusively virtual, consisting of 14 live sessions. Scholars are empowered through a structured curriculum and activities that cultivate strong leadership presence, build critical leadership skills and expand one’s capacity to navigate career opportunities.

The Executive Program features three in-person modules with intermittent virtual education between sessions, each featuring resources and discussion that deliver unique insights on topics relevant to specific challenges healthcare leaders face. This immersive five-month program provides customized coaching and offers approaches to satisfy a variety of learning styles.

All three scholarships are wholly endowed by the Fund for Healthcare Leadership. ACHE is also on a bold mission to raise $1 million for the Fund for Healthcare Leadership by March 2025. Visit ache.org/Fund to learn more about the 2024 scholars, programs and the $1 million campaign.

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American Hospital Association Recognizes ACHE Members
During the AHA’s 2024 Annual Membership Meeting in April, two Fellows and a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives were among those who received awards for their service to the healthcare field and for innovative approaches to providing care.

Distinguished Service Award
Brian A. Gragnolati, FACHE, president and CEO, Atlantic Health System, Morristown, N.J., was awarded the AHA’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award. The award is the AHA’s highest honor, given to recognize significant lifetime contributions to the nation’s healthcare institutions. 

Board of Trustees Award
Steven Summer, LFACHE, former president and CEO of the Colorado Hospital Association and the West Virginia Hospital Association, and president and CEO of The Healthcare Institute, received AHA’s 2024 Board of Trustees Award. The award is presented to individuals or groups who have made substantial and noteworthy contributions to the work of the AHA on behalf of the hospital field.

Award for Excellence 
Col. Craig Keyes, FACHE, chief of staff and deputy director, Defense Health Network—National Capital Region, Bethesda, Md., received the AHA’s 2024 Award for Excellence. The award recognizes uniformed and nonuniformed federal healthcare leaders who have distinguished themselves through singularly significant or innovative achievements and leadership that have contributed substantially to the mission of the federal health system. 

Member-Led Organizations Receive Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award
Three ACHE member-led organizations received the 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award, which recognizes employee engagement. They are: 

• Children’s Health of Texas, Dallas, led by Christopher J. Durovich, FACHE, president/CEO (three-time winner).
• Exact Sciences Corp., Madison, Wis., led by Kevin Conroy, president and CEO.
• Hendrick Health, Abilene, Texas, led by Brad D. Holland, FACHE, president and CEO (18-time winner).

A total of 57 organizations in a variety of industries received the award. 

ACHE Staff News

ACHE Announces Two Retirements 
Peter A. Kimball, senior data analyst, Research Department, retired in May after 34 years of service. Peter joined ACHE in 1990 as a data analyst/statistician and was promoted to senior data analyst/statistician in 2016. He was recognized as an Alton E. Pickert award recipient in 1997. In his role, Peter has long been the keeper, verifier and interpreter of ACHE data. His unwavering commitment to data integrity has left an indelible mark on the organization. Peter has been an integral part of the ACHE team, and his transition will mark the beginning of a well-deserved new chapter in his life.

Joseph R. Pixler, senior editor, Health Administration Press, retired after nearly eight years of service. Joe has made tremendous contributions to HAP, the Learn team and ACHE as a whole. In his time at ACHE, he has spearheaded the Journal of Healthcare Management and Frontiers of Health Services Management, leading them to increased quality and visibility among our members and beyond. In addition, he has edited numerous HAP books and contributed to many other efforts, including Congress on Healthcare Leadership presentation review and the Learn Team Retreat. Joe has had a long, impactful career in journalism, writing and editing, and his contributions will be missed.

Postgraduate Fellow and Diversity Intern Announced
Sherie Yoon has been selected as the 2024–2025 Stuart A. Westbury Jr. Postgraduate Fellow. Sherie graduated in 2024 with a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. She has worked most recently as a graduate intern for UT Health in San Antonio. ACHE established the fellowship in 1991 to further postgraduate education in healthcare and professional society management.

Oladimeji Taiwo has been selected as the ACHE Diversity Intern through the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s Summer Enrichment Program. Taiwo is pursuing a Master of Public Health from Western Illinois University and expects to graduate in May 2025. 

Both the yearlong fellowship and the three-month internship offer exposure to a broad range of association management issues through interactions with senior-level executives and rotations through each of ACHE’s departments.