Senior Executive Profiles

Stephen A. Williams
President and Chief Executive Officer

Stephen A. Williams, president and chief executive officer for Norton Healthcare, has been with Norton since 1977 and has served as president/CEO since 1993. Before that, he served as executive vice president/chief operating officer (1988-93); vice president, quality management (1986-88); vice president, managed hospitals (1984-1986); administrator, Caldwell County Hospital (1980-84); and assistant to the executive vice president (1977-79). A native of Lola, in western Kentucky, Williams received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Murray State University and a master's in health care administration from the University of Minnesota.

Williams has the unique distinction of having served as CEO of Kentucky's smallest hospital at the time (Livingston County, 26 beds, 1972-77, at age 22) and now serving as CEO of Kentucky's largest healthcare system. He led Norton's pioneering development of Total Quality Management in the health care industry in the mid-1980s, which led to Norton being recognized as the first in the nation to receive Healthcare Forum's Commitment to Quality Award in l988. He has authored several articles and spoken nationally on strategies in health care quality management. He also was recognized as one of four Emerging Leaders nationally in 1990.  Norton Healthcare has been designated as one of the top 100 integrated health care organizations in the nation.  With more than 9800 employees and some 2000 total physicians on its medical staff, Norton Healthcare is Louisville's third largest private employer.

Williams has served as a member of the board of trustees of the American Hospital Association and chaired its Regional Policy Board 3 (seven southeastern states and the District of Columbia ). He has chaired the board of trustees of the Kentucky Hospital Association and has received its Award of Excellence. He has served as co-chair of Greater Louisville Inc. (the city’s chamber of commerce and economic development organization); chair of Louisville's Metro United Way (raising more than $28 million for charity); chair of KentuckianaWorks (the region's workforce investment board); and has served on the boards of Leadership Louisville, Fund for the Arts, University Medical Center, University Healthcare Corporation, and many other health care and civic organizations.

Russell F. Cox
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Russell F. Cox joined Norton Healthcare in September 2000 as vice president of support services and was appointed senior vice president, operations and development, in October 2002; executive vice president in September 2004; and executive vice president & chief operating officer in September 2005. He currently has direct executive oversight for hospital/regional market operations, service line functions, system wide medical affairs and nursing operations, clinical quality, foundations/philanthropy and marketing/communications. Cox has shared executive oversight responsibility for other major functions within Norton Healthcare, including finance, legal, information services, human resources/organizational development, Norton Healthcare’s Old Brownsboro Crossing development, and mission and outreach. He has been active in the community by serving on various nonprofit/volunteer boards and currently serves on the Downtown Development Corporation Board as treasurer and member of its Executive Committee; the Leadership Louisville Foundation Board as its current board chair and member of its Executive Committee; and Kentucky Country Day School Board of Trustees and member of its Executive Committee.

Cox has more than 20 years’ executive experience in health care. Before joining Norton Healthcare, he spent six years as executive director of resource operations at Caritas Health Services in Louisville. Before that, he worked for Humana Inc., Galen Healthcare and Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., in various executive roles, including human resources, development and acquisitions, and operations support. Cox, a lifelong resident of Louisville, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development. He also attended the Vanderbilt University Owen School of Management and completed the requirements for certification from their Executive Development Institute.

Michael W. Gough
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Michael W. Gough has served as chief financial officer of Norton Healthcare since September 2003. Before that, he served as vice president of finance since July 2000. Gough was chief financial officer at Caritas Health Services in Louisville(a member of Catholic Health Initiatives) from December 1994 to July 2000. From 1983-94, he worked for Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation and its predecessors, Galen Healthcare and Humana Inc., as vice president and chief financial officer for Audubon Regional Medical Center in Louisville; chief financial officer for Medical Center Hospital in Huntsville, Ala.; assistant executive director-finance for Audubon Regional Medical Center in Louisville; assistant executive director-finance at University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville (then managed by Humana Inc.); and financial management specialist for McFarland Hospital in Lebanon, Tenn.

Gough earned a bachelor of arts degree in accounting and business administration in 1983 from Bellarmine University, and a master of business administration degree in 1988 from the University of Louisville. He currently serves on the Heuser Hearing Institute Board, Metro United Way Board, Greater Louisville Inc., Finance Committee, University Health Care Inc., Board and Louisville Medical Center Development Corporation Finance Committee.

Steven T. Hester, M.D., MBA
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Steven T. Hester was promoted to senior vice president & chief medical officer in September 2008 after serving as vice president, Medical Affairs, since December 2006. He joined Norton Healthcare in January 2005 as chief medical information officer. Prior to that Dr. Hester practiced Emergency Medicine full time, serving as regional medical director for Kentuckiana Emergency Physicians, with more than 110,000 patient visits per year. During his tenure there he worked to improve quality and volume with significant success, while redefining multiple processes within the organization. He has served Norton Healthcare in multiple medical staff positions, including representative on the System Medical Executive Committee.

Dr. Hester holds bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Louisville and is board certified by both the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Bellarmine University. Dr. Hester is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.Chosen for Louisville’s Business First “40 under 40” designation in 2005, Dr. Hester serves on the board of directors of the Louisville Chapter of the American Heart Association and is chairperson of the 2008 Kentuckiana Start! Heart Walk. He is a member of the American College of Physician Executives, American Medical Association, Kentucky Medical Association and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives.

Tracy E. Williams
Senior Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer

Tracy E. Williams was promoted to senior vice president in December 2006 after serving as vice president and system chief nursing officer since May 2005. Her areas of accountability within Norton Healthcare include Quality, Care Management, Service Excellence, Project Management, Clinical Information Analysis, Emergency Services, Women’s Services, Nursing and the overall development of nursing staff and leadership throughout the organization. In addition, Ms. Williams oversees all nursing and care management functions for Norton Healthcare’s hospitals, Norton Immediate Care Centers and physician practices.

Williams’ background includes 15 years as vice president and senior nurse executive for Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Fla. A native of Virginia, she began her career in the pediatric ICU of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, and later held several nursing management positions, culminating in the nurse administrator role at HCA Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond.

Williams received a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University and a master’s degree in nursing from Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University. She is active in many professional and community organizations and is a frequent speaker on nursing, health care and leadership topics. The Florida Nurses Association named Williams District II Nurse Administrator of the Year in 1996 and one of the district’s 100 best nurses in 2000.

Douglas J. Eighmey Jr.
President, Kosair Children's Hospital & Regional Market

Since September 1989, Douglas J. Eighmey Jr. has served as president and chief administrative officer for Kosair Children’s Hospital, a part of Norton Healthcare. Before joining Kosair Children's Hospital, Eighmey was vice president for operations, Children's Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio; president, Huber Heights Health Services Inc., and president, Huber Heights Surgical Services Inc., Huber Heights Ohio; vice president, corporate services, St. Francis–St. George Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio; vice president, Health Planning and Development Association of Central Ohio River Valley, Cincinnati, Ohio; and director, Office of Certificate of Need, Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio. Eighmey received a bachelor of science degree from the State University of New York and a master's degree in public health from the University of Tennessee.

Eighmey received a U.S. Public Health Service Award in 1970. He is the chairperson of the Kentucky Advisory Board to Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Network and chairperson of the Kentucky Hospital Association's Medicaid Technical Advisory Committee. Eighmey has served on several boards, including the National Association of Children's Hospital and Related Institutions, Children’s Hospital Foundation, Medical Center Commission of Jefferson County, and Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association. Eighmey also has been a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 1982.

Ginger L. Figg
President, Norton Healthcare Physician Services

Ginger L. Figg was named president of Physician Services in December 2006 after nine years with the organization, including the past two years as vice president/executive director. She joined Norton Healthcare in 1997 as regional administrator of Physician Services. During her tenure, Physician Services has grown to more than 40 practice sites, 150 employed medical providers and 660,000 patient visits. The division includes Norton Community Medical Associates, Norton Medical Associates, several specialty practices, Norton Immediate Care Centers and Norton Diagnostic Centers.

Figg has 22 years of experience in the health care field, having previously worked in private practice and for other hospital and clinic systems in Kentucky. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Louisville and a Master of Arts degree in health services management from Webster University. She is a member of the Medical Group Management Association, the Kentucky Medical Group Management Association and Leadership Louisville, Class of 2007.

 

John D. Harryman
President, Norton Suburban Hospital & North/East Market

John D. Harryman has served as president and administrator of Norton Suburban Hospital since Sept. 1, 1998, when Norton Healthcare acquired the hospital. He was the executive director of the Charlotte Regional Medical Center in Punta Gorda, Fla. for part of 1998. Before that, Harryman was president and chief executive officer of Columbia Suburban Hospital, and president and chief executive officer of The Women's Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind. (formerly Humana Women's Hospital). Harryman earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Princeton University, and a master's degree in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is active in local and state professional groups, including officer roles with the Healthservice Council of Metropolitan Louisville and the Consortium for Health Care Professionals. His volunteer interests have included involvement with the Lincoln Heritage Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the March of Dimes, and Maryhurst.

Thomas D. Kmetz
President, Norton Audubon Hospital and South/Central Market

Thomas D. Kmetz was appointed president, south-central market, in February 2005 after serving as president and administrator of Norton  Audubon Hospital since 1998. Kmetz provides strategic and operational leadership for Norton Healthcare’s services in the south-central Louisville market, including services at Norton Audubon Medical Center, and continues to operate as Norton Audubon’s president and administrator. Before joining Norton Healthcare, Kmetz had served in various positions with the University of North Carolina Hospitals since July 1988, including assistant to the director of operations, assistant vice president of operations and vice president of operations.

Before joining the University of North Carolina Hospitals, Kmetz was assistant to the executive director of Humana  Hospital in Lexington, Ky. He holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota, and a master’s degree in hospital and health care administration from the University of Minnesota. A Louisville native, Kmetz was recognized as the Witt/Kieffer-Modern Healthcare Up and Comer in 2000 and is the past president of the Health Services Council of Metropolitan Louisville.

Kevin S. Wardell
President, Norton Hospital and Regional Market

Kevin S. Wardell joined Norton Healthcare in 2003. He provides strategic and operational leadership for Norton's flagship adult teaching hospital, and is also responsible for system-wide cancer services.

Previously, Wardell worked in Houston, Texas as interim president and CEO of the Hospice of the Texas Medical Center, and as executive vice president of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He also has served in a variety of senior executive positions with Advocate Health Care and Lutheran General Hospital, Chicago; Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohio; and Intermountain Health Care, Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences and a master of science degree in administration from the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a master of health administration degree from Duke University.

Wardell has served in leadership capacities for many health care and professional organizations, including the Texas and Illinois hospital associations, the Chicago Healthcare Council, the Chicago regional blood bank, and the American College of Healthcare Executives (Regent). He also has served as a board member for numerous civic clubs and community organizations.

Douglas A. Winkelhake
President, Norton Brownsboro Hospital

Douglas A. Winkelhake was named president of Norton Brownsboro Hospital in July 2006. In this new role, Winkelhake is responsible for planning, construction and operations of the new 127-bed community hospital at Norton Healthcare’s new development at Old Brownsboro Crossing in northeast Jefferson County. The hospital will open in two phases: 80 beds in January 2009, and 47 additional beds in late 2011.

Since 2004, Winkelhake had been vice president of Norton Healthcare’s orthopaedic, neurosurgery and spine service line. Since joining Norton Healthcare in 1997, Winkelhake also had been associate vice president-operations for Norton Hospital, and assistant administrator-finance for Norton Suburban Hospital. Before joining Norton Healthcare, Winkelhake was nursing home administrator for Meadows South in Louisville, and assistant CEO for the Adanta Group in Somerset, Ky. 

Winkelhake is a native of Palatine, a Chicago suburb. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history from the University of Iowa, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kentucky.

Winkelhake is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a fellow of the advisory board for The Healthcare Advisory Board, a health care consulting group and think tank. He is an officer of the Parkinson Support Center of Kentuckiana, and a board member for the Kentucky and Southern Indiana Stroke Association and the Louisville Medical Center.

Robert B. Azar
Vice President and General Counsel

Robert B. Azar joined Norton Healthcare in September 2005 as vice president and general counsel.

A member of the senior management team, he is responsible for legal services, corporate compliance, risk management, risk financing and corporate health services.

Before joining Norton Healthcare, Azar was vice president and general counsel for Alegent Health in Omaha, Neb., the largest health care system and largest private employer in the state. Alegent Health is a faith-based health care provider that includes 8,500 employees, nine acute care hospitals, two long-term care facilities and more than 150 employed physicians. The system also is affiliated with the Creighton University School of Medicine. Azar’s overall responsibilities included the legal and regulatory affairs of the organization and its affiliates, including compliance, governance, managed care, risk financing, risk management and legal services.

Before Alegent Health, Azar was vice president and general counsel for Immanuel Healthcare Systems in Omaha, where he performed similar responsibilities while also playing a key role in the merger of Immanuel Healthcare Systems and Bergan Mercy Health System to create Alegent Health.

Azar has law and masters of health administration degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, and a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Southern California. He grew up in the Los Angeles area.

Joseph L. DeVenuto
Vice President, Information Services and Chief Information Officer

Joseph L. DeVenuto has served as vice president of information services and chief information officer since January 2006. He is responsible for aligning information services activities with the organization’s strategic plan, as well as daily information services operations, including technology services; telecommunications; customer services; data center operations; intranet development; data warehousing; and enterprise financial, human resources, clinical, physician and administrative systems. He joined Norton Healthcare in August 2002 as division director of clinical systems before being promoted to associate vice president of information services in March 2003, vice president of information services in November 2004, and interim chief information officer in September 2005.

DeVenuto’s 20-plus years’ experience with health care information systems includes a wide variety of information systems roles with Kindred Healthcare, Columbia/HCA and Humana.

A Louisville native, DeVenuto has a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Business Administration in management from the University of Louisville. He is a member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and the Healthcare Information Management System Society,and serves on the Premier I.T. Services Committee. He has served in a variety of capacities for boards of directors for the National Alliance of Healthcare Information Technology and the Bluegrass Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

Lynnie Meyer, MSN, R.N.
Chief Development Officer

Lynnie Meyer was promoted to chief development officer of Norton Healthcare in 2006 after serving as vice president since 2004. She also serves as executive director of the Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Norton Healthcare Foundation. The foundations support the needs of Kosair Children’s Hospital and the adult-service hospitals of Norton Healthcare. Under her leadership, in 2007, the foundations generated more than $14 million in support of Norton Healthcare’s mission.

Prior to joining Norton Healthcare, Meyer served as president and CEO of The Center for Women and Families in Louisville, where she successfully led a $12.5 million fundraising campaign. While she was president and CEO, the center won the Annie E. Casey Foundation Families Count Award and secured a prestigious Kresge Foundation Challenge grant. Meyer has held positions with Caritas Health Services, U of L Hospital, Care Tenders and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing administration from Bellarmine University and is a graduate of Leadership Louisville, Bingham Fellows and Leadership Kentucky.

In 2008, Meyer was selected as one of 20 nurses in the nation to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellows Program, an advanced leadership experience for nurses in senior executive roles. She has been inducted into the Bellarmine University Gallery of Distinguished Graduates, named a Business First Forty Under 40 honoree, named by the Shakertown Roundtable as one of 40 Kentucky Leaders for the New Century and received numerous awards, including the Center for Nonprofit Excellence Art of Leadership Award, the National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award and the Presentation Academy Tower Award.

Meyer is actively involved in the Archdiocese of Louisville Sexual Abuse Review Board, National League of Nursing Foundation for Nursing Education board and Louisville Science Center board of directors.