Chris Van Gorder Receives Regent's Award

Chris Van Gorder, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of Scripps Health in San Diego, California, received the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award today at the San Diego Organization of Healthcare Leaders meeting in San Diego.

The award was bestowed on Van Gorder by Ruth Landaal, FACHE, the College’s Regent for San Diego and Imperial counties. The Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award recognizes ACHE affiliates who are experienced in the field and have significantly contributed toward the advancement of healthcare management excellence and the achievement of the goals of ACHE.

Affiliates are evaluated on leadership ability, innovative and creative management, executive capability in developing their own organization and promoting its growth and stature in the community, contributions to the development of others in the healthcare profession, leadership in local, state, or provincial hospital and health association activities, participation in civic/community activities and projects, and participation in College activities and interest in assisting the College in achieving its objectives.

Van Gorder joined Scripps in December 1999 as Chief of Health Care Operations. He was appointed President and CEO in 2000. Prior to joining Scripps, Van Gorder served as Executive Vice President of Memorial Health Services and CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He also previously served as President and CEO of Anaheim Memorial Hospital and Executive Vice President of Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California.

Van Gorder is board certified in healthcare management and holds Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives, demonstrating a commitment to professional excellence. Mr. Van Gorder is a member of the Executive Committee of the California Healthcare Association Board of Directors and Chair-elect of the Healthcare Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor in Health Administration at the University of Southern California, a member of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, Chair of the Chamber’s Healthcare Committee and a Chamber representative for healthcare on the San Diego Homeland Security Partnership. He is also a member of the San Diego Urban League President’s Circle, San Diego Center for Patient Safety Advisory Board and a member of the Board of The Scripps Research Institute.

Van Gorder received his Masters of Public Administration in Health Services Administration at the University of Southern California, completed the Wharton System CEO Program at University of Pennsylvania and obtained his Bachelor of Arts at California State University, Los Angeles.

The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of 30,000 healthcare executives who lead our nation’s hospitals, healthcare systems, and other healthcare organizations. ACHE is known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and its annual Congress on Healthcare Management, which draws more than 4,000 participants each year. ACHE is also known for its journal, the Journal of Healthcare Management, and magazine, Healthcare Executive, as well as ground-breaking research and career development and public policy programs. ACHE’s publishing division, Health Administration Press, is one of the largest publishers of books and journals on all aspects of health services management in addition to textbooks for use in college and university courses. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its goal of being the premier professional society for healthcare leaders by providing exceptional value to its members.