Wright Lassiter III named next CEO at Henry Ford

Who: Wright Lassiter III, 51

New role: President of Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, effective Dec. 15. Lassiter is currently CEO of Alameda Health System, Oakland, Calif. He will become CEO of Henry Ford in late 2016, taking over for the retiring Nancy Schlichting.

Priorities during the transition: “I expect to learn about Henry Ford and ensure I have a great respect for all the positive attributes that exist in the organization. Nancy has been there for 16 years, and so I expect first and foremost to learn from her the rich history of the organization and how to appreciate all its assets.”

On merger opportunities: “When you look at the Michigan market, it is consolidating. Beaumont (Health System) has brought in two other organizations. Certainly we will have discussions if is it appropriate for Henry Ford to seek similar partnerships like it sought with Beaumont or potentially in broader areas. Every progressive, forward-thinking system has to consider if affiliations make sense, whether it's formal mergers or other affiliations that don't involve exchanging assets.”

Looking back at Alameda: “While public safety net systems will always be challenged financially, I'm proud we created a very sound foundation. I'm also extremely proud of the strategic accomplishments we've had around creating an integrated delivery network.”