Health Care
President and CEO
Aspirus Health  | Wausau
Matt Heywood has led Wausau-based Aspirus Health as its president and chief executive officer since 2013. The nonprofit health system has 11,000 employees and operates 17 hospitals and 75 clinics throughout Wisconsin and Michigan.
Under Heywood’s leadership, Aspirus acquired Portage-based Divine Savior Healthcare in 2019, creating a $1.4 billion combined health system. In 2021, the health system acquired seven hospitals, 21 physician clinics and air and ground medical transport services – located across north and central Wisconsin – from Ascension Wisconsin. The ownership change added 2,700 employees to the Aspirus system.
The system is also currently building a new $15.6 million hospital in Ontonagon in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and earlier this year, it opened a new primary care clinic in downtown Wausau.
Heywood has served on the boards of the United Way of Marathon County, Woodson YMCA Foundation and the Wisconsin Hospital Association.
Before joining Aspirus, Heywood was executive vice president and chief operating officer of New Hanover Health Network in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Education: Bachelor’s, Dartmouth College; master’s, University of Michigan School of Business