Sanford Health announced that the American Hospital Association (AHA) has named Bill Gassen as its chair-elect designate. Gassen will be chair-elect in 2026 and become the 2027 chair of the AHA, the top elected official of the national organization that represents America’s hospitals and health systems and works to advance health in America.
Since 2020, Gassen has helped transform the rural health care experience at Sanford Health, which serves over two million patients and more than 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 2021, Sanford Health unveiled a $350 million virtual care initiative to improve access to convenient, high-quality care for rural, underserved communities. In that same year, Sanford Health announced plans to fully fund 15 additional residency and fellowship programs for a total of 27 programs, to build the next generation of rural health care providers, in partnership with universities in the rural Midwest. Sanford Health is accelerating clinical innovation and research through nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies.
“It’s an incredible honor to be named chair-elect designate of the American Hospital Association,” said Gassen. “This is a pivotal moment for health care in our country, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and help carry forward the AHA’s strong legacy of advocating for hospitals and health systems across rural, urban and suburban America. I’m committed to ensuring our members’ perspectives are heard – and that we stay focused on forward-looking strategies to strengthen care delivery and improve the health of the communities we serve.”
Prior to becoming president & CEO, Gassen served in a number of executive roles for Sanford Health, including as the chief administrative officer, corporate counsel and chief human resources officer. Gassen is a former health care litigator and current member of the State Bar of South Dakota. Gassen has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 most influential people in health care (2022, 2023 and 2024).
Gassen is a member of the AHA Board of Trustees. He also currently serves as a member of the AHA Executive Committee, AHA Operations Committee, and previously served on the AHA’s Health Systems Committee as well as the AHA Taskforce on the Changing Workforce.
He serves as the chair of the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, an organization formed to strengthen patients’ access to high-quality health care. In addition, Gassen serves on the board of directors for Oscar Health, Inc., Medical Alley, and the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a law degree, both from the University of South Dakota. Gassen lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, Jill, and their five children.
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Posted In Company News, Leadership in Health Care
