The American Hospital Association (AHA) has elected Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, to its Board of Trustees. Gassen joins seven additional new board members who will serve three-year terms. The Board of Trustees is the highest policymaking body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its directions and finances.
Gassen has been the president and CEO of Sanford Health since November 2020. He previously served as the chief administrative officer, corporate counsel and chief human resources officer over a 10-year period.
“It is an honor to be elected to the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees, and I am privileged to serve alongside a distinguished group of leaders who all share a common goal — advance health care for all patients in our communities,” said Gassen. “This is another opportunity to share Sanford Health’s unique perspective of how we are delivering world-class health care in rural America.”
Gassen is presiding over transformational growth at Sanford Health. In 2021, Sanford Health unveiled a $350 million virtual care initiative to improve access to convenient, high-quality care for rural, underserved communities. That same year, Sanford Health announced plans to add eight new graduate medical residencies and fellowships in specialty areas, for a total of 15 programs, to build the next generation of rural health care providers.
In 2022, Gassen was recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. This prestigious recognition honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential figures in the industry in terms of leadership and impact. Gassen also serves on the board of directors for Oscar Health.
Gassen is a former health care litigator and current member of the State Bar of South Dakota. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a law degree, both from the University of South Dakota.
Gassen is a member of AHA’s Health Systems Committee and served as a member of the AHA Taskforce on the Changing Workforce from 2019-2021.
Learn more
- AHA leadership summit features Sanford CEO Bill Gassen
- Sanford CEO among Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential
- Sanford leaders discuss future of care at Becker’s Meeting
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Posted In Company News, Corporate Services & Administration, Leadership in Health Care, News