Sanford Health names new chief of business development
Contact:
Shawn Neisteadt
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / shawn.neisteadt@sanfordhealth.org
@SanfordShawnN
SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Aug. 11, 2020 — As an industry, health care is always evolving. Sanford Health has hired Kent Lehr to help keep the Sioux Falls-based health system on the leading edge of the industry as the chief of business development and strategic partnerships.
Lehr comes to Sanford Health from UnityPoint Health where he most recently led organizational strategy and business development efforts for the system. In his time with the health system, Lehr developed a major strategic roadmap for the organization and launched UPH Ventures as part of their innovation strategy. In 2017 Lehr was named on Becker’s Hospital Review’s rising stars in health care under the age of 40 list.
At UnityPoint, Lehr played a key role in designing a joint venture with HealthPartners of Bloomington, Minnesota, which launched a new insurance company in Iowa and Illinois in 2015. He also led UnityPoint in joining CivicaRx, an organization to which Sanford Health also belongs that lowers prescription drug costs for patients. His work at UnityPoint led to a 2018 Inspiration in Health Care Award for health care delivery.
“Kent is a great talent who will lead our enterprise strategy to advance new growth initiatives, partnerships and commercialization efforts to drive performance and support our important mission,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health.
“I am energized to join the team at Sanford,” said Lehr. “Innovation and growth strategies are vital in today’s evolving health-care landscape. I look forward to bringing my talents to the team and helping lead Sanford to continued success.”
Lehr holds a master’s of health administration and master’s of business administration from the University of Iowa. He is also a native of Des Moines, Iowa.
Lehr will take over for the retiring Kim Patrick. Patrick helped create Sanford’s legal department 20 years ago and served much of his career at Sanford as chief legal officer. He most recently served Sanford as chief business development officer.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States, is dedicated to the integrated delivery of health care, genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization includes 44 hospitals, 1,400 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and nine countries. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford have transformed how Sanford Health improves the human condition. For information, visit sanfordhealth.org.
