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Oregon Health & Science University and Gov. Tina Kotek announced Nov. 1 that OHSU is bringing back a safe and familiar former executive to serve as interim president.
The university said Steve Stadum, who previously served as OHSU general counsel, chief administration officer and corporate secretary, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, will take over if the OHSU board approves his appointment at a Nov. 5 meeting. Stadum would replace outgoing president Dr. Danny Jacobs, who stepped down earlier this month.
Related: OHSU President Danny Jacobs Resigns After Fraught Tenure, Citing “Personal Reasons”
Stadum joined OHSU in 1999 from the Ater Wynn law firm, which had been instrumental in OHSU’s conversion to a public corporation with an independent board in 1995. Stadum then helped guide OHSU’s growth until 2016, when he left for a series of senior roles at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. He retired from the Seattle job in September.
The appointment of Stadum as a placeholder comes after Kotek rejected OHSU’s plan to immediately appoint Dr. Nate Selden, the dean of OHSU’s medical school, as Jacobs’ successor.
Related: OHSU Board Abandons Plan to Immediately Appoint Medical School Dean Nate Selden as New President
In a significant change to the process, Kotek’s executive appointments staff will help the OHSU board form a search committee for Jacobs’ permanent successor, rather than allowing the board to make its own choice, as it tried to do with the aborted choice of Selden.
“OHSU is a critical institution to our state, as a major health care provider, employer, and leader in scientific and academic innovation,” Kotek said. “A strong, collaborative leader is imperative to OHSU’s success, and I commend the board for embarking on a national recruitment for the next long-term president. I am grateful to Dr. Jacobs for his years of service and would like to thank Mr. Stadum for agreeing to serve while the search is underway.”