Tidewell Hospice and Stratum Health System appoint Jonathan Fleece as new President and CEO

Jonathan Fleece has been appointed President and CEO of Stratum Health System and Tidewell Hospice by the Stratum Board of Trustees at its recent meeting.

Mr. Fleece has served as the CEO and Managing Partner of Blalock Walters, alongside Clifford Walters as its Board Chairman.  He has been a member of either the Tidewell or Stratum boards since 2009 and has been instrumental in contributing to Stratum’s and Tidewell’s success.  Mr. Fleece has also served in numerous other community leadership roles, including on the Manatee Community Foundation board of trustees and as Past Board Chair of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Bradenton Area EDC and the Manatee Health Care Alliance.

“We are so fortunate to have Jonathan leading Stratum Health System and its companies in the years ahead,” said Thomas Stuhley, chair of the Stratum Health System Board of Trustees. “He has both local and national healthcare experience; he is a great public speaker, community oriented, passionate about our patients and their families and has a long history with our organization.

“He has the leadership skills, experience and vision to guide us through the ever-changing world of health care and I look forward to working with him as we set the standard for caring for people across the aging continuum.”

Mr. Fleece began his health care career in St. Louis, Missouri, in the late 1990s and spent several years in administration and in the General Counsel’s Office at Saint Louis University’s Medical Center.  Today he is a nationally recognized health care strategist, advisor, attorney, speaker and author, with a leadership record of advancing the mission of complex health care organizations that benefit the community.

“We were looking for a visionary leader and strategist who could grow and guide our role as the leader in the aging continuum and end-of-life care; someone who would inspire and nurture the personal and professional development of our employees,” said Jan Miller, chair of the Tidewell Hospice Board of Trustees and of the CEO search committee. “We were looking for a leader who was committed to the highest level of patient care and who recognizes that these are people at the most difficult time in their life and are entrusting their care to us.

“After 8 months of interviews, meetings, discussions, assessments and in depth presentations, Jonathan was the unanimous selection of the Tidewell and Stratum board,” Miller said.

Mr. Fleece is succeeding current Stratum and Tidewell CEO Gerard Radford, who previously announced his intent to retire at the end of 2018.  Tidewell is one of the largest not-for-profit hospices in the United States.

Mr. Fleece will remain with Blalock Walters until September 2018 and is expected to assume his new CEO position at Stratum and Tidewell on Oct. 1, 2018.