ANN ARBOR, MI - Larry Warren, M.A., director and chief executive officer of the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, today announced his retirement after 29 years at the U-M. He is 58.

He leaves the UMHHC organization, a major part of the U-M Health System, financially solid in the midst of a tumultuous health care environment. UMHHC is ranked as one of the top health care facilities in the United States and has been honored as one of the country's premier health care employers.

Warren notes that personal family matters hastened a long-considered retirement.

“It is with mixed emotions that I move ahead with this decision. I have worked here a long time and am grateful to many who have helped me along the way,” says Warren. While the retirement is effective Oct. 1, Warren will be available to consult with Health System leadership during the course of next year if needed.

“I know Larry has been considering this for some time, so I respect and understand his decision,” says Robert P. Kelch, M.D., U-M's executive vice president for Medical Affairs. “Larry has served us well. We are a thriving enterprise because of his expert leadership. We became a safer, busier and more effective operation under his tenure and he should be proud of the mark he has left on the institution.”

Added Zelda Geyer-Sylvia, M.P.H., executive director of M-CARE, “Larry has been a wonderfully collaborative partner in the Health System, and role model for our philosophy of ‘patients and families first.' I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him and I will miss our work together.” M-CARE is the non-profit health plan owned by the U-M.

Kelch is assembling a team to conduct a national search to fill Warren 's position. An interim director will be selected shortly.

“We have tremendous ‘bench strength' within our institution, and Larry has helped create that,” notes Kelch. “I'm confident we will be able to continue to move forward in our ambitious strategic plan without hesitation.”

Warren leaves the U-M Hospitals & Health Centers in an enviable position:

• In July, UMHHC reported an operating margin of 5.1 percent on revenues of more than $1.31 billion. That exceeded the previous year's margin of 4.1 percent, as well as the margin of 4 percent that had been budgeted for the fiscal year. The strength of UMHHC finances is particularly noteworthy given the hurdles faced by health care providers in the difficult health care climate.
  
  The Health System faces increasing pressure to keep rates low, at the same time as it confronts potential reductions in Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, the need to serve the uninsured, and inflation in the cost of supplies, employee benefits and pharmaceuticals.
  
• Also in July, the institution announced it had retained its position among the best hospitals in the nation -- the only health care facility in Michigan to make the honor roll of “America's Best Hospitals” in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings.
  
• In its most recent report on health care quality, the Michigan Health and Safety Coalition awarded its highest ranking to the UM HHC in all eight categories of treatment that were evaluated. As the only hospital surveyed that earned the highest “five bullet” rating in every category, the U-M far exceeded the tough recommendations set forth in the coalition's guidelines.
  
• In January, the institution was named one of ten 2005 Premier Healthcare Employer s in the country by the Premier Workplaces organization. It was recognized for its outstanding people practices and innovative human resources programs that attract and retain diverse talent.

Warren was reappointed to a four-year term as the leader of the UMHHC in December 2003. The reappointment also continued his title of associate vice president of the U-M Health System and his adjunct professorship in the U-M School of Public Health.

Prior to that, Warren served as executive director of UMHHC since March 1998. Before his full appointment, he served nearly two years as interim executive director.

Warren has more than 30 years of experience in human resources management and hospital administration. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1972 and a master's degree in education administration in 1973 from Eastern Michigan University.

Warren is recognized as a state and national health care leader. He is chair of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association and chair-elect of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, a division of the Association of American Medical Colleges. He also is chair of the Greater Area Health Council Board of Directors and is on the Board of Directors of the Washtenaw County American Red Cross and the University Health System Consortium.

He is also active in community services organizations. He is on the Eastern Michigan University Foundation Board of Trustees and is a member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit, Inc.

Written by Kara Gavin

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