CBHA (Columbia Basin Health Association) announced today that its Board
of Directors has chosen Nieves Gomez as the organization’s next
President and Chief Executive Officer. Gomez will succeed Greg Brandenburg,
the current President and Chief Executive Officer, on March 1, 2018.
“After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process,
the CBHA Board of Directors is pleased to have found the best fit to assume
leadership of our outstanding rural healthcare organization,” said
Mike Garza, Chairman of the CBHA Board of Directors. “Nieves’
recognition as an exceptional leader in healthcare, coupled with his education
and commitment to organizational growth and improvement make him an ideal
selection.” Mr. Garza would like to thank the entire board and Executive
Team for their participation in the selection process. Mr. Garza expressed
his appreciation for everyone’s efforts and input regarding this
extremely important decision.
Nieves started his career with CBHA eleven years ago as a summer intern,
and has advanced through the leadership team, serving as Clinic Manager
and Vice President of Operations.
The selection of Mr. Gomez caps a search process facilitated by Witt Kieffer,
a global executive search firm specializing in placing healthcare executives
in some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious healthcare
organizations. The Board of Directors thanks Steve Yamada and his Witt
Kieffer team for all the hard work and support throughout this process.
A large initial prospect pool was narrowed to a group of three external
prospects and four internal candidates, all of whom interviewed with the
Board’s Search Committee. The final two candidates moved into a
final round with the full CBHA Board.
“Nieves is a young man with character and enduring values,”
said Greg Brandenburg, outgoing CEO of 20 years. “He has grown with
CBHA as a successful executive, and has the confidence and thought leadership
to take CBHA to the next level. He believes in and lives CBHA’s
mission, is a patient champion, and delivers value-creation with extraordinary
results. Nieves is a valuable leader who has been responsible for a great
portion of our success over the last five years. I would like to thank
the Search Committee and CBHA Board during the succession planning and
recruiting process. The Board can take pride in the success of the organization
in the last 20 years, and I have no doubt that the work they have put
in to build this organization into the best rural healthcare organization
in the United States will continue under Nieves’ leadership.”
“I am incredibly humbled and excited about the opportunity to lead
such a passionate and talented group of people. CBHA is positioned to
become the new standard in healthcare in rural United States. Greg Brandenburg
has been an excellent visionary leader for CBHA over the last 20 years
and we are thankful for the leadership he has provided to put in place
the right vision, strategy, and thoughtful succession plan for long-term
success. I am committed to continuing my strong relationship with Greg,
the Executive Team, the Board of Directors, and our wonderful patients
to continue this momentum and capture the great opportunities in front
of us.” Gomez said.
An Othello native, Nieves Gomez has been a part of the CBHA family for
the past eleven years beginning with a focus on Behavioral Health and
outreach. Gomez holds a Masters of Public Administration and a Masters
of Social Work from Eastern Washington University. Over his tenure with
CBHA, Gomez has served as Site Director for CBHA’s Mattawa facility
and the Director of Quality. In November 2016, Nieves became Director
of Operations, and in mid-2017 the Vice President of Operations, reporting
to the COO. In this role, he had over site of three Site Directors, the
Pharmacy Business Manager, Vision Business Manager, Contact Center Manager,
Facilities Manager and Cafe Coordinator (in the Othello facility); and
has management oversight of over 90 other employees. As Vice President
of Operations, he directed the development and implementation of strategic
operational plans for clinical programs, including process improvement
initiatives and leadership for IT operations.
Gomez is married with three wonderful children. He celebrates his ties
to the communities within the Columbia Basin and is passionate about CBHA’s
mission. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, catching
a movie once in a while and playing soccer when he can.
About Columbia Basin Health Association
Columbia Basin Health Association is a mission-minded integrated healthcare
facility based in eastern Washington State. Established in 1971, CBHA
provides top-tier medical, dental, eye, behavioral health and other clinical
services to over 171,936 patients annually throughout its Othello, Mattawa
and Connell locations. Each year the organization is recognized among
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) for its commitment to innovation,
compliance, and delivery of quality health care.