Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Names Robert I. Bonar Jr. as Next CEO

MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota has appointed Robert (Bob) I. Bonar Jr. as its new chief executive officer. Bonar, who is president and CEO of Seton Family of Hospitals and CEO of Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, will begin his new duties Dec. 8, 2014.

After more than a decade of leadership at Children's, Alan L. Goldbloom, MD, chief executive officer, will assist in the transition until he retires Dec. 7. This transition is part of the long-term plan of the hospital board and executive team.

"As leader of a nationally-recognized pediatric health system, Dr. Goldbloom set an incredibly high bar -- his vision has positively impacted countless children and families, transformed our facilities and clinical capabilities, and positioned Children's for its next stage of growth," said Russ Becker, chair of Children's board of directors. "Like Dr. Goldbloom, Bob is deeply committed to putting children first. With a strong track record of pediatric health system leadership, an ability to collaborate and build consensus, and a passion to improve the health of children, he's the right leader to carry forward the aspirations of this organization."

During a dynamic and often stressful period of change in health care, Bob drove significant growth and enhanced the national reputations of several pediatric health systems in Oklahoma, Virginia and South Carolina. He joined Seton Healthcare Family, a member of Ascension Health, in 2003 as president and CEO of Dell Children's (previously Children's Hospital of Austin), where he's consistently focused on improving quality and access to pediatric care, developing strategic partnerships and opening clinics in the region to accelerate progress. In 2012, he was promoted to president and CEO of Seton Family of Hospitals, a complex, 11-hospital system where his primary responsibility has been the visioning and oversight of strategic plans across the system.

As CEO of the leading provider of pediatric care in the upper Midwest, Bonar will guide Children's long-term business strategy and build on the strengths of its people, assets and infrastructure. He will ensure that Children's keeps improving children's health by providing the highest-quality, family-centered care while advancing that care through research and education.

"With a strong leadership team and some of the best professional pediatric staff in the world, Children's is well positioned to further establish its reputation as one of the best pediatric systems in the nation," Bonar said. "I look forward to working with this talented, dedicated team and the Twin Cities community to build from this position of strength and create a shared vision for how we can together reach the next level in delivering the best possible pediatric care to children and their families."

Before joining Seton and Dell Children's, Bonar served in senior leadership roles at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughter's Health System in Norfolk, Virginia, and the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma (now The Children's Hospital at Oklahoma University Medical Center) based in Oklahoma City. Bonar has also held instructional roles at several academic medical centers across the country.

Bonar holds a doctorate in health administration and policy from the Medical University of South Carolina and earned master's degrees in administrative disciplines from West Virginia University and the University of Oklahoma. He also holds a bachelor's degree in biology from West Virginia University. Bonar began his career as a teacher, while also serving as a paramedic in Morgantown, West Virginia.

For more information about Bonar, visit childrensMN.org/ceo. 

About Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children's serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, 12 primary and specialty-care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Children's maintains its longstanding commitment to the community to improve children's health by providing high-quality, family-centered pediatric services and advancing those efforts through research and education. This work is made possible in large part by generous philanthropic and volunteer support from individuals and organizations throughout the state and region. An award-winning health system, Children's is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children's hospital and by The Leapfrog Group for quality and efficiency. Please visit childrensMN.org.

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SOURCE Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota