Kaiser Names Tyson Incoming CEO
Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente made swift work of a national search to replace its outgoing CEO and chairman, naming its number two executive to the top spot earlier this week.
The succession of Bernard J. Tyson, 53, Kaiser’s current president and chief operating officer, was made just a few weeks after George Halvorson announced he would be retiring next year.
However, Kaiser officials indicated that eight people were considered for the position, including several external candidates.
“The board’s decision to offer this position to Mr. Tyson is a testament to Kaiser Permanente’s robust internal succession planning process,” said board chairperson Kim Kaiser.
Tyson has devoted virtually his entire career to Kaiser, having been with the organization since 1984. He has been a longtime Bay Area resident, and holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Tyson was appointed COO in 2010. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president of health plan and hospital operations, and also oversaw operations for Kaiser outside of California.
He is best known for implementing Kaiser’s “Thrive” marketing campaign, which was launched when he served as senior vice president of brand strategy and management.
As part of the transition plan, Tyson will be appointed to the Kaiser board next month, and will assume CEO duties in June 2013. He will be appointed board chairman at the end of 2013, when Halvorson’s retirement is official.
“I am deeply honored to follow George Halvorson’s incredible leadership and to serve this great organization as its next chairman and chief executive officer,” Tyson said. “As we continue down the path of healthcare reform and the transformation of the healthcare industry, I am excited about leading an organization so committed to high-quality and affordable care for everyone.”
By running an organization with 180,000 employees and 17,000 physicians, the new position will arguably make Tyson the most prominent African-American healthcare executive in the nation, and among the most prominent in any sector.
Kenneth C. Frazier, CEO of Merck, is the highest-ranking black executive in healthcare. However, Kaiser’s industry profile is considerably more prominent than that of the drug manufacturer. Among health insurers Kaiser’s size, Ronald A. Williams, the former CEO of Aetna, is the only comparable African-American CEO. He retired from that position in 2010 and as Aetna chairman last year.
Tyson serves as chairman of the Executive Leadership Council, which is comprised of current and former African-American executives at Fortune 500 companies.
Tyson did not make any announcements of specific plans for Kaiser when he assumes the top job, although in media interviews he said he would focus on Kaiser’s sizable population of patients with chronic diseases, as well as preparing to compete on health insurance exchanges where it does business, which includes nine states and the District of Columbia.
