Earlier this week, Cerner made a mega-announcement: It has a new CEO.
That person is Brent Shafer, who will also serve as chairman of the board of directors. The position is effective February 1.
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His predecessor, company cofounder Neal Patterson, died last summer due to unexpected complications that arose after a recurrence of cancer. He was 67 years old. It was about two years ago when Patterson first revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Following Patterson’s death, Cerner’s Cliff Illig began serving as interim CEO and chairman of the board. On February 1, he will resume his role as vice chairman of the board.
Shafer comes from a previous healthcare role: CEO of Philips North America, a position he held since February 2014. Before that, he was CEO of Philips’ Home Healthcare Solutions business for four years. Additionally, he has held jobs with Hill-Rom, GE, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and Intermountain Healthcare, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“I’m happy to be joining Cerner from a long background in healthcare,” Shafer said in an introductory video posted on Cerner’s blog. “Through my career, I’ve had the opportunity to grow and work in different cultures, different kinds of roles — but always focused on healthcare. I’m here to make a difference.”
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The news out of the Kansas City, Missouri-based company had analysts talking.
“The selection process took roughly six months, which many found surprising after management commented that the board had previously spent time on CEO succession,” Jeffrey Garro, an analyst with William Blair, said in a research note, according to the Kansas City Business Journal.
(That’s true. After Patterson passed away in July, Cerner said its CEO selection process was “nearing a conclusion.” That was half a year ago.)
“We had commented previously that we expected a swifter process and the selection of an internal candidate such as President Zane Burke,” Garro added.
Garro and Steven Halper, a managing director for Cantor Fitzgerald, also noted that Cerner’s current leadership will be crucial to the company’s success going forward, according to the KCBJ.
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