Stephen has over 25 years of broad-based Executive Healthcare experience. He possesses a unique blend of operational and financial management exposure in both teaching hospitals and community healthcare organizations. Stephen has the proven ability to manage a wide range of responsibilities while advising and steering major strategic decisions. His leadership and negotiation skills are exceptional in the healthcare space. Stephen’s specific expertise lies in administration, finance, operations and strategy. He has led numerous initiatives in positions with various health systems and hospitals that have resulted in millions of dollars in savings. An outstanding healthcare professional, Stephen can make an astonishing positive contribution to any professional team.

Sub-Specialties

  • Academic healthcare institutions including health systems, hospitals and faculty practice plans, including experience as a COO and CEO
  • Mergers, acquisitions and integrations
  • Subject Matter Expert: Financial operations management and structure
  • Physician joint ventures
  • For-profit and non-profit board experience
  • Former CFO Role: St. Luke’s Hospital, Houston, TX, The University of Alabama Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

Professional Experience

Prior to joining Warbird‘s CFO Consulting Network, Stephen served as Executive Vice President, EVP and Chief Financial Officer of St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. He has also served as EVP and CFO of UAB Health System, President & CEO of Tulane University Hospital & Clinic and EVP & Administrator of West Virginia University Hospitals where he accomplished the following:

  • Responsible for operations of a healthcare system that included six hospitals (both Not-for-Profit hospitals and For-Profit joint venture hospitals), an IPA, community emergency centers and affiliations with Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute with net revenues of over $1.2 billion with 1,000+ physicians and 6,000+ employees
  • Served as key member of the management committee during strategic planning review by Board that led to a sale of a system
  • Served as Chair of the Board for four community hospitals
  • Served as Chair of the Epic Executive Steering Committee for a system
  • Initiated process to select an ambulatory surgery partner for a system
  • Responsible for financial oversight of two community hospital CEOs, the CIO, Human Resources, Managed Care Contracting, international services, supply chain, internal audit/compliance and all financial areas
  • Served as the Executive in Charge in absence of the system’s CEO
  • Participated in rapid system expansion strategy resulting in opening of a new physician joint venture hospital
  • Proposed and led negotiations for acquisition of 51% of Patients Medical Center
  • Initiated System wide RFP process for dietary, housekeeping and biomedical services; new contract resulted in $6 million in annual savings
  • Led initiatives for supply chain changes that resulted in over $7 million in savings. Contract compliance increased by 139% and non-catalog orders decreased by 30%
  • Responsible for financial oversight of a system that includes seven hospitals, three ambulatory surgery centers, home health services, on-campus and satellite clinics, joint ventures, large physician practice plan and insurance company Viva Health. Net Revenues of over $2 billion with 1,000+ physicians and 10,000+ employees. Responsible for all administrative and financial areas including human resources and information systems
  • Negotiated and managed the establishment of health care authorities (HCA) for organizations
  • Negotiated and managed the asset purchase agreement of a Medical Center campus consisting of 219 licensed bed hospital, two professional office buildings, and other improvements on the 17+ acre campus
  • Served as Chief Restructuring Officer during interim management agreement, leading successful waiver of default for the organization, while negotiating plan of finance to open a three year cash flow window allowing for capital reinvestment in the facilities
  • Led successful financing plan and bond issue for $275 million hospital project
  • Successfully negotiated key issues with medical staff related to new hospital project and other funding issues
  • Initiated and led process to review University’s administrative cost allocation to hospital. Negotiated changes resulted in $2.5 million annual savings