Committee takes shape to find new University of Iowa Health Care leader

IOWA CITY - The University of Iowa on Thursday identified 17 search committee members charged with finding a replacement for Jean Robillard, who in September announced plans to step down from his role as vice president for medical affairs and medical college dean.

The next leader is to take over the $1.9 billion UI Health Care enterprise and the university's Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, which is home to specialized care and research centers like the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Iowa Institute for Biomedical Imaging.

UI President Bruce Harreld previously named Bruce Gantz, head of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Carroll Reasoner, vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, to co-chair the search committee for Robillard's replacement.

Gantz and Reasoner chose the group's other 15 members, which were made public Thursday, including seven department chairs, executives like Provost Barry Butler and UI Hospitals and Clinics CEO Ken Kates, those in charge of diversity and multidisciplinary groups, and Regent Mike Richards.

The group is to meet for the first time Dec. 1.

Robillard, 73 - who has led UI Health Care since 2007 and took on the additional role as medical college dean earlier this year - plans to stay in his post until the university names a successor, eliminating the need for an interim leader.

Even though he's eventually stepping down, Robillard - a pediatric nephrologist by training - has said he intends to remain on faculty in the UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics.

Robillard, in the 2016 budget year, earned $929,045, making him the fifth highest-paid public employee in Iowa, according to the state salary database.

UI Health Care comprises UI Hospitals and Clinics, the College of Medicine and UI Physicians - Iowa's largest multi-specialty medical and surgical group practice, with more than 700 physicians in 19 clinical departments.

The enterprise's estimated economic impact, according to a 2016 report out of the Iowa Hospital Association, is $699.7 million - nearly double the hospital reporting the second-largest economic impact.

A detailed timeline for the search to replace Robillard has not been established.

UI spokeswoman Anne Bassett told The Gazette, 'The search committee is looking forward to getting the search process started, but aren't setting an arbitrary deadline for naming Dr. Robillard's replacement. They want to take the time necessary to find the right leader.”

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Search committee members

' Dale Abel

serves as John B. Stokes III chair in diabetes research, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and professor of biochemistry. He also directs the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at the College of Medicine.

' John Buatti

serves as chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and is a professor of radiation oncology, otolaryngology and neurosurgery.

' Kathleen Buckwalter

is professor emeritus in the UI College of Nursing and former director of the John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence and associate director of the National Health Law and Policy Center at the UI College of Law.

' P. Barry Butler

has been UI provost and executive vice president since May 2011.

' Keith Carter

serves as Lillian C. O'Brien and Dr. C.S. O'Brien chair in Ophthalmology and chair and head of the Department of Ophthalmology.

' Janet Fairley

is chair, John S. Strauss professor, and head professor in the Department of Dermatology.

' Richard Fumerton

is F. Wendell Miller professor of philosophy and past president of the UI Faculty Senate.

' Mark Hingtgen

is assistant vice president for finance in the College of Medicine.

' Matt Howard

serves as professor and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and a member of the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute.

' Ken Kates

has been associate vice president and CEO of UIHC since 2008.

' Nicole Nisly

serves as associate chair for diversity and as a clinical professor in the UI Department of Internal Medicine.

' Todd Patterson

serves as chief operating officer for UI Physicians.

' Curt Sigmund

is professor and chair of pharmacology in the College of Medicine.

' Michael Welsh

is professor of internal medicine and director of the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute.

' Mike Richards

is the newest member of the Iowa Board of Regents. He was appointed on an interim basis in April, after former regent Mary Andringa resigned. He has not yet been confirmed by the senate, which is to consider the appointment during the upcoming Legislative session. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from UI and its School of Medicine and practiced for a time. He was serving as a director for the Minnesota Children's Hospital Foundation when he was appointed to the regents, but resigned 'to avoid any doubt and resolve any appearance of conflict of interest.”