Ascension Health and Columbia St. Mary’s Health System announced that Travis Andersen has been named president and chief executive officer of Columbia St. Mary’s Health System in Milwaukee.
Andersen assumes the role previously held by Mark Taylor, who retired at the end of June. Andersen will begin his new responsibilities on Aug. 4, 2014.
Andersen comes to Columbia St. Mary’s Health System from Ministry Health Care where he has served as president of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and oversaw Calumet Medical Center, a critical access hospital located in Chilton.
During his tenure at St. Elizabeth Hospital, the organization has demonstrated strong results in virtually every key performance category, including clinical quality, patient experience, growth and physician and associate engagement.
Andersen came to Wisconsin in 2001, when he joined Affinity Health System (which became a wholly owned ministry of Ministry Health Care in 2012), as director of business development. Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Andersen was an area manager with John Deere Health of Moline, Ill., where he had responsibility for 120,000 members of their health plan.
An Iowa native, Andersen earned his master’s in hospital and health administration from the University of Iowa.
“I am honored to be joining an organization with such a storied history and passion for care and service. Together, we can continue moving forward and building upon the tremendous progress and innovations of Columbia St. Mary’s, as the organization upholds its legacy of care in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas,” Andersen said.
Nick Desien, president and CEO of Ministry Health Care and the Ascension Health Ministry Market Leader for Wisconsin, said, “Travis has done an outstanding job of advancing St. Elizabeth Hospital. He has engaged and energized not only the organizations’ physicians, associates and boards but also the entire Appleton community. He is an excellent choice to lead Columbia St. Mary’s.”
Taylor, who recently retired, will be pursuing his doctorate degree.
“Columbia St. Mary’s is financially strong and extremely well-positioned for the future,” Taylor said. “We have an operating vision that has focused our efforts on preparing Columbia St. Mary’s for the dramatic changes underway in health care today.“
“On behalf of the entire board of directors, we want to thank Mark for his extraordinary service to Columbia St. Mary’s and our community,” said Columbia St. Mary’s board chairman George Hoff. “We are very pleased that Travis accepted our offer to join Columbia St. Mary’s as president and CEO. He is a creative leader who will continue to build on the operating vision created by Mark, our associates and physicians, our board, and the community.’
Ascension Health is the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system.
