Unannounced executive changes at University Physicians Healthcare have come to light.
CEO Norm Botsford resigned effective June 3, according to a media statement with that date on it. However, the statement was never released to the media, said spokeswoman Sarah Frost.
The interim CEO is Larry Aldrich, who had been working as the senior vice president of corporate operations and general counsel. A search is being conducted for a new CEO, Aldrich said, and the company plans to make an announcement when the position is filled.
Previously, Aldrich was president and CEO of Tucson Newspapers, general partner in a venture capital firm called Valley Ventures, and helped form the new regional economic development agency, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc.
Botsford had been CEO of the physicians practice since 1992. In that time, he led the company as it increased its revenue from about $90 million to about $310 million.
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"That's like managing a baseball team for 17 years, and I felt like the company was at a good place for me to make the decision to leave now," Botsford said.
He wants to spend more time with his family and his aging parents in Wisconsin, he said. Botsford gave his notice of resignation to the board of directors at its May 28 meeting, he said.
"It's been a good run," he said.
However, Botsford said the board asked him to keep his job as hospital director at University Physicians Hospital, which UPH took over in 2004.
"It's clear they need me to stay at the hospital for a while, and I will gladly do that," he said, adding it is hard to leave a job he loves.
He had been serving as interim hospital director since former hospital CEO Ginger Campbell left UPH in February, Frost said.
She was in the position less than a year.
Aldrich said there will be no change in direction for UPH while he is the interim CEO. The board of directors will discuss the search for a new CEO at its June 25 meeting.