Media Releases

Petasnick to be AHA Chairman

WASHINGTON (July 13, 2006) — The American Hospital Association's (AHA) Board of Trustees has elected William D. Petasnick its chairman-elect designate. When Petasnick assumes the chairmanship in 2008, he will be the top elected official of the largest hospital and health system association in the United States.

Petasnick is president and CEO of Froedtert Hospital and the Froedtert & Community Health System in Milwaukee, a post he has held since 1993.

When Petasnick becomes chairman-elect on Jan. 1, 2007, he will preside over AHA's long-range policy committee. He will succeed Kevin Lofton, president and chief executive officer of Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives, who becomes chairman of the board on Jan. 1, 2007.

Petasnick

“Communities count on hospitals to provide compassion and high quality care 24 hours each and every day,” Petasnick said. “AHA works tirelessly on behalf of our nation's hospitals to help them advance the health of individuals and the communities they serve. I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to help lead these efforts.”

Prior to joining Froedtert, Petasnick was deputy director and chief operating officer at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He also served as director of operations/chief operating officer at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill and as senior associate director at the Madison-based University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics.

Active in the AHA for 20 years, Petasnick is currently a member of the AHA Board of Trustees, a member of the Executive Committee, and chairman of the AHA Task Force on Delivery System Fragmentation. Previously, he has served on the governing council of the Section for Metropolitan Hospitals and as a state delegate for the Regional Policy Board representing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. In addition, he has served on the AHA task force on delivery system organization, as an AHA representative to the National Resident Matching Program, and as an ex-officio member of the Committee on Health Professions.

Petasnick also is active on the national and local stage. He was the 2003 chair of the Council on Teaching Hospitals. He has chaired the board of the Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association and served on its council on public policy. He is a board member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin and the Downtown Rotary Club of Milwaukee.

Petasnick earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and master’s in health care administration from the University of Minnesota. He is an adjunct associate professor of health management at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Petasnick and his wife Bobbe reside in the Milwaukee area. They have two grown children, one of whom is married and has two children.

About the AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of healthcare provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, 4,800 hospitals, health systems and other healthcare organizations, and 33,000 individuals. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for healthcare leaders and is a source of information on healthcare issues and trends. For more information visit the Web site at www.aha.org.

Last Review Date: July 13, 2006