Creighton University welcomed six new trustees to its leadership ranks May 11, as the Board held its annual meeting on campus.
The new members reflect a diverse range of experiences, careers and geographic locations, including two doctors, a banker, a leader in real estate, a health care administrator and an insurance executive, from Washington, DC, to Hawaii.
The new board members are:
Sharon Harper — As President, CEO and Chairman of The Plaza Companies in Phoenix, Harper oversees a firm specializing in the management, leasing and development of properties for medical and commercial use, technology and bioscience facilities, and senior living facilities. She is also on the boards of Arizona State University, Banner Health Foundation, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the McCain Institute for International Leadership and the Board of Governors for TGen.
Wende Kotouc — Kotouc, of Omaha, is currently executive co-chair of American National Bank in Omaha. Prior to her banking career, Kotouc worked and led within McDonald’s Corporation in Oak Brook, Illinois and at Willow Creek Association in Barrington, Illinois. Her community leadership includes board work with Creighton Preparatory School, College of St. Mary, Christ Community Church, Omaha Conservatory of Music, Family Housing Advisory Services and the Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha.
Darrell Lee, MD — A graduate of the Creighton School of Medicine, Dr. Lee, of Honolulu, Hawaii, now serves as a gastroenterologist in Aiea, Hawaii, affiliated with the Pali Momi Medical Center. He has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Lee is president of Hawaii Gastroenterology Specialists and is a co-founder and board member of Pacific Endoscopy Center.
Janis Orlowski, MD — Living and working in Washington, DC, Dr. Orlowski is chief health care officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Before joining the AAMC, she was chief operating officer and chief medical officer at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, from 2007 to 2013. She also served as assistant vice president and executive dean of the medical school at Rush University in Chicago. She is a trustee at Marquette University.
Robert Reed Jr. — President and CEO of Physicians Mutual Insurance Company in Omaha, Reed has worked for the company since 1989. He is a current committee advisor to the Risk Management, Audit, and Compliance Committee of the Creighton Board of Trustees. His community leadership includes posts with the Omaha Symphony, Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Duchesne Academy, AKSARBEN Foundation and the United Way of the Midlands.
Ann Schumacher — Schumacher is president and CEO of CHI Immanuel, a position she has held for the past 10 years. With a background in nursing and healthcare administration, she has also served as the executive administrator for numerous strategic services lines for CHI Health and Alegent Creighton Health since 2006. She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and chair of the American Hospital Association’s Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Governing Council. She has also served on the boards of Marian High School, Catholic Charities and the Nebraska Spine Hospital.
The University also recognized three trustees emeriti, now departing the board and recognized for their outstanding contributions: Mary E. Walton Conti, MD, a radiation oncologist and entrepreneur from St. Louis; John (Jack) Koraleski, retired executive chairman of the board of directors for Union Pacific Corporation, of Omaha; and Deborah Macdonald of Omaha, retired president of Kinder Morgan Natural Gas Pipeline Group.
“Once again, Creighton is blessed with a new class of leadership joining our Board of Trustees,” said Creighton President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ. “The experiences, commitments, and education of these six people further strengthens and diversifies our board, giving the University the missional leadership and direction we will need as we enter exciting new phases in our history. I welcome them to the board and look forward to adding their voices to our leadership team, and I thank our trustees emeriti who have served our community with such diligence and passion.”
