Tahoe Forest Hospital board appoints new interim leader (updated) | SierraSun.com
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Tahoe Forest Hospital board appoints new interim leader (updated)

Margaret Moran
mmoran@sierrasun.com
Jake Dorst
Courtesy TFHD |

Request for proposals: Legal counsel

At Monday’s special meeting, the Tahoe Forest Hospital District Board of Directors also approved initiating a request for proposals related to district general counsel services.

Steven Gross, a partner with the Truckee-based firm Porter Simon, serves as the district’s legal counsel.

Members of the public called for new legal representation at the March 31 board meeting, citing concerns regarding objectivity and provided legal advice.

The RFP will allow the district to solicit attorneys for the position for board consideration. No change in legal counsel has been made.

TRUCKEE, Calif. — The Tahoe Forest Hospital District Board of Directors has appointed a replacement for outgoing interim CEO Virginia “Ginny” Razo.

Chief Information Officer Jake Dorst beat out one other internal candidate for the job and will assume the position May 1.

“I’m very excited and humbled to be in that position,” Dorst said Tuesday.



The board announced the appointment after closed session at a special Monday meeting, when directors considered internal candidates for the position and possible selection.

The district is not releasing the name of the other candidate.



Dorst holds a master’s in business administration from Saint Leo University in Florida. Prior to joining TFHD in September 2014, he served as vice president and CIO for Meritus Health Inc. in Hagerstown, Md.

He was selected primarily due to his experience in senior management, said Tahoe Forest board director Charles Zipkin, who was acting as board chair at Monday’s meeting. Chair Karen Sessler was absent.

“We think he can do this job, and he has the support of senior management,” said Zipkin, adding that it’s a short-term position.

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READ MORE: Razo’s resignation letter to the Tahoe Forest board, dated March 31, reports she received an offer at “another health system,” and it was “too exciting” an opportunity to turn down.

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While serving as interim CEO, Dorst will continue his role as CIO.

“He’s confident, and we’re confident that he can do both jobs,” Zipkin said.

According to the district, a CIO provides technology vision and leadership in the development of the Tahoe Forest Health System information services program, including strategic planning, budgeting and resourcing for information technologies.

The position has existed for several years, said Jayne O’Flanagan, human resources director for TFHD.

As CIO, Dorst receives $190,000 in annual compensation, she said.

His future salary and benefits as interim CEO have yet to be negotiated, Zipkin said.

During Monday’s meeting, the board also chose to enter into an agreement with HFS Consultants, a health care management recruiter, as the district’s search firm for a permanent CEO.

Recruitment details, such as the search and candidate vetting process, will be heard by the district’s personnel committee — which Zipkin and director Dale Chamblin sit on — in the coming weeks, O’Flanagan said.

“We’ve been informed that it’s likely we can have a permanent CEO in place within six months,” Zipkin said during the meeting.

As for the permanent CEO position, Dorst on Tuesday said he would consider applying if he felt he could do a good job for the community and the hospital.

The district’s cost in hiring HFS Consultants is still being developed. It could either be 30 percent of the permanent CEO’s first year compensation, or a yet-to-be-determined flat fee, O’Flanagan said.

Two weeks ago, Razo announced her resignation effective May 1 to take a CEO position with Curry Health Network in Oregon.

She was appointed to the role of TFHD interim CEO in late January, replacing former CEO Bob Schapper after the board decided to not renew his employment contract.

Schapper’s former CEO contract included $404,277.20 in base pay. In 2013, he received $558,882.86 — with the rest in assorted benefits, incentives, deferred compensation and a vehicle allowance.


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