By Tracey Drury – Reporter, Buffalo Business First
Jul 12, 2022 Updated Jul 12, 2022, 6:33pm EDT
Kaleida Health, the region's largest health system, has tapped Don Boyd as its new president and chief executive officer as current CEO Robert Nesselbush heads into retirement.
Boyd has served as president and chief operating officer for the past year, a role that included day-to-day oversight of operations at the $2.1 billion health system.
Gary Crosby, board chairman, said a statement Boyd is a "proven and trusted" leader who brings 25 years' experience at Kaleida in a variety of leadership roles.
“A natural team builder, he is the right person who the board of directors believes will move the organization forward as we find ourselves, like so many other hospital systems, navigating some very challenging times," he said.
Boyd has risen up the ranks at the Buffalo-based health system, overseeing business development and collaborative partnerships with hospitals and health systems across the eight-county region, including including Great Lakes Integrated Network, Upper Allegheny Health System, Brooks/TLC Hospital System Inc., Western New York Urology and the Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative.
Boyd has been with Kaleida since its inception in 1998. He previously served as vice president for ambulatory services and business development, director of ambulatory services, manager of quality improvement and director of Kaleida Health's ambulatory surgery center in Williamsville.
He holds an MBA with a concentration in corporate finance and healthcare systems management from the University of Buffalo and an undergraduate degree in community mental health and psychology, also from UB.
Prior to taking on the president position last year, Boyd served as executive vice president of business development for 10 years. He previously served as president at Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital, helping to lead the growth of major business lines including cardiac, stroke and vascular surgery plus the integration efforts for what is now the Gates Vascular Institute.
In a statement, Boyd said he recognizes there is much work to be done during a challenging time for all hospitals nationwide.
"It is no secret that the national healthcare delivery landscape has changed dramatically since COVID-19," he said. "In fact, the staggering financial and operational impact is still being felt here at Kaleida Health. But I am confident that we can get through this. Together with the dedicated members of the Kaleida Health family, we will continue to evolve and grow to better serve our patients and this community.”
Nesselbush, who joined Kaleida in early 2019 as chief financial officer, moved into the CEO post in late 2020 during the pandemic. He previously spent several decades working in leadership positions at major hospital systems in the Rochester area.
The health system lost $24 million last year on revenue of $1.994 billion, an improvement from 2020, when it lost $108 million during the first year of the pandemic.
Nesselbush said in a statement he was proud of the work he accomplished during his time at Kaleida.
“Coming home to Buffalo and having the opportunity to work with such dedicated physicians, nurses, leaders and staff has so been rewarding for me," he said. "Together, we met the Covid-19 challenge head on while, at the same time, repositioning Kaleida Health for the future. With all of the industry changes taking place, the organization is entering a new era in health care delivery. So it’s appropriate for new leadership now. I thank everyone who is part of the Kaleida Health family for all that they do in taking care of this great community.”
Kaleida Health names Don Boyd as new president/CEO - Buffalo Business First (bizjournals.com)