Scripps CEO Chris Van Gorder Honored for Leadership

Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder recently received two acknowledgements in recognition of his leadership.

Van Gorder has been appointed as a Governor for the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). As one of fifteen Governors, Van Gorder was appointed by the ACHE Board’s Executive Committee and will advise in the overall direction of ACHE’s policy decisions. ACHE is an international professional society of 30,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. In addition, Van Gorder is a member of the California Hospital Association Board of Directors’ Executive Committee and immediate past chair of the Healthcare Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Van Gorder was also awarded the Maltese Cross Award from the San Diego Fire Chiefs Association at their 33rd annual Spirit of Courage Awards Banquet on May 25. The first year for this award, the Maltese Cross is a humanitarian honor that recognizes an individual for direct service and support of emergency services.

In 2005, Van Gorder formed the Scripps Medical Response Team and led 70 Scripps physicians, nurses and support staff to Houston at the request of the U.S. Public Health Service to provide medical aid to displaced survivors of Hurricane Katrina. He also has established a Scripps office of disaster preparedness to commit the organization to sustained emergency planning. Personally, Van Gorder is a Reserve Lieutenant with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department in charge of the Search and Rescue Medical Unit. In that role, he is always on-call and frequently joins search and rescue missions. He began his career as a police officer in Los Angeles County.