Bronson Healthcare Announces New President and CEO
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Following a nationwide search, Bronson Healthcare is pleased to announce the selection of Bill Manns as the health system’s next president and CEO. He succeeds Frank Sardone who retired in December. His first day at Bronson will be Monday, March 30, 2020. 
Manns, 52, is an experienced leader with a full understanding of the healthcare industry in Michigan and nationally. He currently serves as president of St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, a 537-bed tertiary care and academic medical center, and St. Joseph Mercy Livingston, a 136-bed community hospital in Howell. Both hospitals are part of Trinity Health Michigan and, combined, have more than 6,200 employees and 1,500 medical staff members.
Nelson Karre, board chair for Bronson Healthcare, says, “Our CEO search drew over 70 highly-qualified candidates from around the country, and we are delighted to have found Bill Manns among them. Bill is one of the most dynamic and personable individuals you’ll ever meet. He brings an analytical mind and a passion for excellence that aligns with Bronson’s vision and culture along with a track record for building strong relationships with his colleagues and community. We are confident he will be an exceptional leader for our organization.”
Born and raised in Detroit, Manns graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Psychology in 1989 and a master’s degree in Health Services Administration in 1991. He completed an administrative fellowship at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland and, subsequently, held positions of increasing responsibility at Mercy Health Services (now Trinity Health) in Novi.
From 1996-2005, Manns held administrative roles in operations at St. John Detroit Riverview and St. John Providence in Detroit where he was promoted to chief operating officer and executive vice president in 2003. In 2005, he moved to California with his wife, India, and son, Justin, to take on the role of COO for Alameda Health System in Oakland, where he helped lead a turnaround of a struggling public hospital system. In 2013, the Manns family returned to Michigan where Bill served as president of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, an integrated health network in Grand Rapids, for five years.
Manns says, “I am honored to be chosen to lead this prestigious regional healthcare system. Bronson’s reputation for quality, collaboration, its culture of positivity and putting patients first, its growth and investment in programs and services to meet community needs and its local governance are all qualities that attracted me. I can’t wait to get started and meet all of the wonderful people who are moving health forward in southwest Michigan.”
In addition to his healthcare-specific background, Manns is experienced in LEAN and Six Sigma. His current professional memberships include the National Association of Healthcare Executives, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and an appointment by the Governor of Michigan to the Public Health Advisory Council.
Bronson Healthcare is a not-for-profit, community-governed health system serving nine counties in southwest and south central Michigan. With 8,500 employees, more than 1,400 medical staff members, and 836 licensed beds, Bronson is the largest employer and leading healthcare system in southwest Michigan. It offers a full range of services from primary care to critical care across more than 100 locations. Key member organizations include: Bronson Methodist Hospital, Bronson Battle Creek Hospital, Bronson LakeView Hospital, Bronson South Haven Hospital, Bronson Medical Group, Bronson at Home, Bronson Commons, Bronson Athletic Club, Bronson Wellness Center and the Bronson Health Foundation. For more, visit bronsonhealth.com.
