Russell Armistead was named Shands Jacksonville CEO on Tuesday, replacing outgoing CEO Jim Burkhart less than a week after an announcement that Burkhart was leaving to take a similar position at Tampa General Hospital beginning March 4.
Armistead begins immediately, while Burkhart remains with the organization in a consulting role through the end of February, according to a news release.
Armistead has served as associate vice president for finance and planning for the University of Florida Health Science Center in Gainesville and Jacksonville since 2004.
He worked directly under Dr. David Guzick, UF senior vice president of health affairs and UF&Shands, the University of Florida Academic Health Center.
The center includes the colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine. Pharmacy, Public Health and Health Professions.
Guzick also serves as chairman of the Shands Jacksonville board of directors.
In the release, board member Lawrence Dubow (I think that's DuBow) said Armistead is the right choice for the job.
"The board of directors believed we needed someone who could step in immediately in order to further efforts that have already led to significant accomplishments for Shands Jacksonville in the last two years," he said. "We are confident that his combination of business savvy and experienced working in an academic health care setting will help us achieve our financial goals as well as plans for future growth."
Among his before joining UF, Armistead was president of North Carolina-based Armistead Consulting LLC, which provided management and consultation services to academic health center, hospitals and other health care organizations according to the release.
As reported, Tampa General last week announced Burkhart would succeed retiring CEO Ron Hytoff beginning March 4, a move Burkhart said was an opportunity to lead a larger organization.
He has been with Shands Jacksonville since 2001, when he served as a consultant before becoming the organization's president and administrator in 2003. He has served as president and CEO since 2010.