from Depaul Newsline

Ascension, the nation’s largest non-profit healthcare organization, has named the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M. as its executive vice president and chief operations officer. Fr. Holtschneider will assume his new role on July 1, following 13 years of service as president of DePaul University.

“Leading DePaul in its strategy and mission has been the singular honor of my life, and my gratitude grows every day for our community and its dedication to our students,” Fr. Holtschneider says. “Since 2009, I have been privileged to be part of the Ascension family as well, serving on its board. I am excited to begin this new chapter by contributing with them to our nation’s healthcare strategy.”

During Fr. Holtschneider’s tenure, DePaul added more than 170 new academic programs, including the expansion of its health science programs in response to the nation’s growing demands for healthcare professionals. The university created the College of Science and Health in 2011, offering an innovative curriculum with a strong Vincentian commitment to social justice and civic engagement. Rather than creating all new programs independently, the university established strategic alliances with Rosalind Franklin University and Rush University Medical Center to create efficiencies that enabled a DePaul education to remain affordable while ensuring high value for students. The alliances also foster research collaborations between faculty at the institutions.

Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the largest Catholic healthcare organization in the world. Fr. Holtschneider will oversee Ascension’s national strategy and advocacy functions. He also will manage the Ascension Solutions Division subsidiaries of Ascension Information Services and the Ascension Ministry Service Center. Fr. Holtschneider joined Ascension’s board in 2009 and currently serves as its chair. He announced his decision to step down as DePaul’s president in June 2016.

READ THE ASCENSION PRESS RELEASE