Kevin DeRonde Named CEO at Mahaska Health Partnership
The board of trustees for Mahaska Health Partnership voted unanimously to name Kevin DeRonde as CEO.
by Cathy Stahl, MHP Marketing director with additional reporting by Staff.
MAHASKA COUNTY – The Mahaska Health Partnership (MHP) Board of Trustees announces Kevin DeRonde as Chief Executive Officer. DeRonde brings more than 15 years of healthcare business management and executive leadership experience to MHP. He is expected to join the organization on Feb. 19, 2018.
DeRonde is currently the CEO of Des Moines Orthopedic Surgeons, P.C. (DMOS), the largest for-profit orthopedic physician practice in Iowa. Since joining DMOS in 2012, he has provided leadership to support physicians in their business operations and growth in new services lines. He has also helped DMOS advance their presence in local and regional markets through benchmarking, innovation, business ventures, networking and best practices.
DeRonde has ties to MHP, serving as the Executive Director of Specialty Services and as a member of the Executive Team from April 2011 to November 2012. During his time with MHP, DeRonde helped drive growth through the recruitment of specialty physicians and by fostering collaboration between departments.
MHP Board of Trustees Chairman David Langkamp said the board unanimously chose DeRonde for the CEO position after a nation-wide search. “We’re very pleased with the leadership we received from Interim CEO Chris Jepsen, who will remain on the Executive Team.
“With Chris and Kevin working together, along with the rest of the Executive Team members, we feel that we have an unbeatable leadership team guiding the organization and we are so excited for what the future holds.”
Chief Medical Officer Tim Breon said he is thrilled to have DeRonde return to MHP. “Kevin brings passion, commitment and is a tireless worker. He has a strong desire to return to MHP and has a wonderful vision for our future as a county hospital serving our region,” Dr. Breon said.
DeRonde has a strong resumé of healthcare business management, professional leadership, and has been recognized for building high performing, cohesive teams focused on delivering high quality, compassionate care. He has led strategic initiatives to improve financial operations and enhance employee and physician recruitment and engagement. In his previous management and executive roles at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., UnityPoint Des Moines, John Stoddard Cancer Center in Des Moines and MHP, DeRonde led numerous capital improvement projects.
“Mahaska Health Partnership is a vital part of this community, and I am so appreciative of the warm welcome that I’ve received from so many, and I’m really looking forward to working alongside this dedicated team,” DeRonde said. “I am proud to call Oskaloosa home and will do all that I can to make sure our community members continue to have access to the best possible care, right here close to home.”
DeRonde holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Masters of Healthcare Management (MHM) from Middle Tennessee State University. Prior to earning his master’s degrees and playing football in the NFL, DeRonde earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Iowa State University, completed the Pre-Optometry program and served as a team captain for the ISU football team.
DeRonde will be relocating to Oskaloosa with his wife, Tori, and their rescue dog, Blitz.
Oskaloosa News spoke with Mahaska Health Partnership Board President David Langkamp after the vote to hire DeRonde.
“The catalyst for hiring him was the fact that he is passionate about being here. He’s a proven winner. He wants to make a difference in this hospital, and I just have all the faith in the world in him,” Langkamp said. “He has a willingness to work with this senior team, and he has a strong willingness to work with our interim CEO [Chris Jepsen]. I think we’re going to have the best one-two punch in small, critical access hospital.”
Addressing the public concerns from the past, Langkamp added, “We as a board identified a lot of issues that we were having, and we needed someone that had an ability or a knowledge of how to satisfy those problems. We’re aware of the problems, and now I think we have the solution. I think the solution is both Kevin and Chris. We feel that good about it.”
