This month marks the end of the seven-year tenure of Jim Linder, MD, as CEO of Nebraska Medicine, as well as his 40 years of dedication to UNMC and the University of Nebraska as a member of its faculty.
It has been a great pleasure to be his college of medicine partner as he led the remarkable growth and evolution of Nebraska Medicine that included navigating the considerable challenges of the COVID pandemic. Not only did Dr. Linder bring excellent health care and business acumen to the CEO role, but he did so with the added perspective of an academic physician committed to education and discovery.
Always the consummate educator, Dr. Linder is responsible for many books in my office, as he was always eager to share and generously provide his latest “great read” on leadership and health care. I and those around him have benefited greatly from his advice and insights into life, leadership and what it means to be a Nebraskan. It is always about the team, not the individual player.
As we wish Dr. Linder the best as he transitions to the next chapter of his remarkable life and career, we also welcome and look forward to Michael Ash, MD, assuming the Nebraska CEO role. Dr. Ash is someone whom we have come to know well over his 11 years in leadership at Nebraska Medicine. Dr. Ash has tremendous vision for the future of health care and Nebraska Medicine that is in step with the goals of our college. We look forward to working with him in achieving his strategic mantra of “clarity, alignment, focus” as Project Health moves forward and academic medicine continues to evolve.
On a much more somber note, it also is important to mark the passing of Debra Romberger, MD, several weeks ago. Until she stepped down in January, Dr. Romberger had served as the chair of the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine for the prior 10 years, the culmination of her 37-year career at UNMC. A highly accomplished pulmonary clinician, physician-scientist and educator, Dr. Romberger also epitomized the servant leader. A role model and mentor for many of our faculty, she left us all too soon and will be deeply missed by all who had the good fortune to know her.
Finally, on behalf of the college, welcome to our incoming group of residents and fellows who will be starting in the next few weeks. Once again, they are an outstanding group of young physicians, and we all look forward to having them as a part of the team.