By Lydia Coutré
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Crain’s Cleveland Business) – Dr. Cliff Megerian, a respected researcher and clinician, has been tapped as the next CEO of University Hospitals.
Megerian, currently president of UH Physician Network and UH System Institutes, will succeed Thomas Zenty III, who announced this fall that he will retire in January 2021 after nearly 18 years leading the health system. Zenty is the longest-serving leader of Cleveland’s health systems, which comprise UH, Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth. Under Zenty’s leadership, UH grew from three hospitals to 18.
During the interim period, Megerian will serve as president of the health system, according to a UH news release.
“Cliff has the clinical, academic and operational experience that this role requires, along with a deep appreciation for the character of UH, our mission and vision,” said Arthur Anton, chair of the UH board of directors, in a prepared statement. “He is an accomplished physician and scientist, with impeccable patient-care, research and teaching credentials based on decades of experience. These characteristics, in addition to his keen insight into healthcare strategy and trends, will serve our health system well going forward.”
For the past year, a succession planning committee of the UH board engaged in a “thoughtful and deliberate succession planning process,” Anton said in the release. The committee “analyzed the future needs of the health system and established a profile of the qualities and characteristics desired in an ideal candidate for the CEO position,” according to the release.