Chief Bowman Chairs Scripps Board

San Diego Fire Chief Jeff Bowman is the new chair of the Scripps Health Board of Trustees. Bowman, who joined the board in 2004, has more than 12 years experience on health system governance boards in Los Angeles. Bowman came to San Diego as fire chief in 2002 from Anaheim where he had served as chief since 1986 and on the department since 1973.

Joining Bowman on the 16-member Scripps Health board in 2006 are Fred Howe, Westcott Price and Douglas Bingham, Esq.

Howe, of San Diego, is chairman and CEO of MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc., based in San Diego, CA.MedImpact currently services 27 million members nationwide with clients that include Fortune 500 employer corporations, unions, managed care organizations, health plans, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, as well as local, state and federal employee programs.

Price, whose home is in Laguna Beach, is former president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors of FHP International Corporation, one of the largest publicly held managed health care companies in the United States. Price is Chairman Emeritus of U.S. Education Corporation in Mission Viejo, CA., and is a founding member of the board of directors of Townhall.com.

Bingham is executive vice president and COO of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, responsible for the management and supervision of TSRI’s broad range of programs, services and departments, including finance, facilities, human resources, technology development, communications and technical support services. Since 1991, Bingham has held several successive senior management positions at TSRI. Prior to joining the institute, he was a partner at the intellectual property law firm of Dressler, Goldsmith, Shore, Sutker and Milnamow from 1987 to 1991, having joined the firm in 1983. From 1979 to 1983 he was a senior research associate at what was then the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation.

“We are honored and grateful for the expertise, commitment and genuine caring of these dedicated community leaders,” said Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “As Scripps has turned around financially and set a course for growth and expansion over the next several years, the leadership, guidance and direction of our board is all the more valuable to our continued success. I look forward to serving with them as we continue to grow Scripps to serve the needs of our growing community.”