Respected health care executive takes the helm at pioneering foundation in interventional cardiology
New York, NY - April 20, 2009 - The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) today announced the appointment of William A. Himmelsbach, FACHE, as the foundation's new President and Chief Executive Officer. A well-respected and recognized expert in the health care field, Himmelsbach brings more than thirty years of leadership and management expertise to the organization. He succeeds Marvin L. Woodall, who is retiring. Mr. Himmelsbach was also appointed to CRF's Board of Directors.
"Since its inception in 1990, CRF has played a major role in the great progress that has been made in interventional cardiology, and in realizing dramatic improvements in the lives of countless patients by establishing the safe use of new technologies and therapies for heart disease," said Mr. Himmelsbach. "I look forward to working with CRF's visionary physicians who are so passionate about advancing the field. By providing research, evaluation and education under one roof, the foundation has a unique ability to generate important research questions, test and refine groundbreaking new therapies, and ensure that these therapies are available to patients at the earliest possible opportunity."
"Bill Himmelsbach is the right leader for CRF," said Eric B. Woldenberg, Esq., CRF Chairman of the Board and a senior partner at Pryor Cashman LLP. "He is results-oriented, possesses the right combination of technical expertise and management experience, and will enhance CRF's role in the development of new technologies and therapies that will help millions of people with heart disease everywhere." "Bill's reputation in working collaboratively with physicians to achieve organizational goals is widely acknowledged. We look forward to his input in further strengthening CRF and helping to move our organization to the next level," he added.
Prior to joining CRF, Himmelsbach was Senior Vice President at VHA and Executive Officer of its New York-based VHA Empire - Metro. VHA is a national health care alliance that provides supply chain management and clinical improvement services and supports the formation of regional and national networks to help members improve their clinical and economic performance. Before that, he held President and Chief Executive Officer positions at several hospitals and health care systems, including The Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut, Saint Mary's Health Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Holy Cross Health System in South Bend, Indiana, Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health System in Detroit, Michigan.
Bill holds a B.A. in Labor-Management Relations/Economics from Penn State University and a Masters in Public Health in healthcare administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
