Jacksonville, Fla. – The Shands Jacksonville Board of Directors today named Otis L. Story, Sr., interim chief executive officer of the organization, effective immediately. Following a national search, Story was named chief operating officer for Shands Jacksonville last June.
“The board’s unanimous decision to forego a national search and appoint Otis interim CEO shows the members’ support and confidence in his ability to lead Shands Jacksonville,” said Timothy Goldfarb, chief executive officer for Shands HealthCare. “I’m looking forward to working with Otis and the management team as we continue to develop Shands Jacksonville as a strong and vibrant resource for the community.”
Story has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare administration and in academic medical centers. Prior to joining the Shands Jacksonville management team in June, Story served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Ga. He has also held leadership positions at the University of Alabama and the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in hospital and health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“In the four months that I have been a part of the Shands Jacksonville family, I’ve come to believe in this organization’s vision, in its value to the community, and in the commitment and ideals of its 3,300 employees,” Story said. “I plan to continue to work towards making Shands Jacksonville our most valued community asset.”
Shands Jacksonville is a 760-bed not-for-profit academic medical center affiliated with the University of Florida. It has 750 UF faculty, hospital-based and private practice physicians, and centers of excellence in cardiology, neurology and trauma.