– Kaiser Permanente CEO & Chairman Bernard J. Tyson dies unexpectantly in his sleep today at the age of 60.
– Kaiser board of directors appoints Gregory A. Adams, Executive Vice President, and Group President, as interim Chairman and CEO.
– Bernard is survived by his wife, Denise Bradley-Tyson, and three sons; Bernard J. Tyson Jr., Alexander, and Charles.
Bernard J. Tyson, the Chairman, and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, died unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of 60, the company confirmed in an announcement. Tyson had served as CEO of Kaiser Permanente since 2013 and chairman of the board of directors since 2014. Tyson is survived by his wife, Denise Bradley-Tyson, and three sons; Bernard J. Tyson Jr., Alexander, and Charles.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors, employees and physicians, we extend our deepest sympathies to Bernard’s family during this very difficult time. An outstanding leader, visionary and champion for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans, Bernard was a tireless advocate for Kaiser Permanente, our members and the communities we serve. Most importantly, Bernard was a devoted husband, father and friend. We all will miss his tremendous presence in our lives,” released in an official announcement from Kaiser Permanente.
Bernard Tyson Background
During his tenure at Kaiser, Tyson led and set the expectation for delivering affordable, accessible, high-quality health care and improving the health of its members and the 68 million residents in its communities. When Tyson became CEO in 2013, Kaiser Permanente had 9.1 million members, employed a workforce of 174,000, included 17,000 physicians, and generated $53 billion in annual revenue. Today the organization provides care and coverage to 12.3 million members, has a workforce of 218,000 employees, includes 23,000 physicians, and annual revenue of more than $82.8 billion.
Tyson’s influence was felt both nationally and internationally. TIME included him on its list of the most influential people in the world and named him one of the Health Care 50. Also, in addition to being named by Modern Healthcare as one of the most influential people in health care for 5 consecutive years, he was No. 2 on the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare list and on Fast Company’s list of most creative people.
Tyson also served on the boards of directors for the American Heart Association and Salesforce. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, served as Deputy Chairman of the Americas of the International Federation of Health Plans, was the former chair of American Health Insurance Plans and a steward of the World Economic Forum’s Global Challenge on the Future of Health and Healthcare. Tyson was also a member of the Business Council and Bay Area Council, a business-led public policy organization advocating for a strong economy and better quality of life for Bay Area residents.
Kaiser Appoints Interim Chairman and CEO
Effective immediately, the board of directors has named Gregory A. Adams, Executive Vice President, and Group President, as interim Chairman and CEO.
“Bernard was an exceptional colleague, a passionate leader, and an honorable man. We will greatly miss him,” said board member Edward Pei, Chair of the Executive Committee and the Governance, Accountability and Nominating Committee. “The board has full confidence in Greg Adams’ ability to lead Kaiser Permanente through this unexpected transition.”
