Jim Eppel named exec VP at HealthPartners and other newsmakers

Jim​ Eppel has been named executive VP and chief administrative officer of HealthPartners, an integrated delivery network based in Bloomington, Minn.

Eppel will be responsible for overseeing care delivery and the health plan's administrative functions.

Eppel joins HealthPartners after serving as president and CEO of UCare, a health plan based in Minneapolis. Previously, Eppel served as senior VP of Optum, a division of UnitedHealth Group, and COO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Ruth​ Colby​ has been promoted to president and CEO of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Ill., effective Oct. 1. She succeeds Paul​ Pawlak, who is retiring.

Colby joined Silver Cross in 2005 as chief strategy officer. Under her guidance, she forged partnerships with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, University of Chicago Medicine and Northwestern Medicine. She also oversaw an affiliation with Advocate Health Care based in Downers Grove, Ill.

Before joining Silver Cross, Colby held leadership roles at University of Chicago Medicine and Solucient, a decision-support solutions company now part of Truven Health Analytics, IBM Watson Health.

Jerry​ Fox Jr. has been named senior VP and CIO of BJC HealthCare, based in St. Louis. He succeeds David​ Weiss, who is retiring in June after 27 years with BJC.

Fox, 52, most recently was chief technology officer and director of global information technology operations at Dana Corp., based in Toledo, Ohio. He was also VP of enterprise information technology at Cardinal Health in Dublin, Ohio.

William​ McKeon has been promoted to president and CEO of Texas Medical Center in Houston. He succeeds Dr.​ Robert​ Robbins, who is leaving to serve as president of the University of Arizona in Tucson.

McKeon, 57, was most recently chief strategy and operating officer at Texas Medical. Before joining Texas Medical in 2013, McKeon held leadership roles at Stanford University Medical Center, the U.S. Oncology Network and medical device maker Medtronic.

Ed​ Hannon has been named president of CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island, Neb., effective May 23. He replaces Dan​ McElligot, who stepped down as president last November.

Hannon, 58, has been president and CEO of Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler, Miss., since 2013. He has more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, leading not-for-profit hospitals in rural communities in Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Bob​ Hudson is retiring as senior VP and CFO of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, Calif., effective in July.

Hudson has served as CFO since 2001. During his tenure, he guided the hospital's financial restructuring. Hudson also worked to increase the facility's bond rating and expanded services, including building a community cancer program as well as its intensive-care unit.