UPMC president and CEO to leave role after 15 years

Pittsburgh-based UPMC’s president and CEO of 15 years is set to step down from his position next week after 48 years with the health system—he will be succeeded by Leslie Davis, a health care executive with 17 years of experience at UPMC.

Jeffrey Romoff, attributed with growing the $23 billion network of 40 hospitals to become the largest non-governmental employer in Pennsylvania, will leave the role he has held since 2006 on Aug. 1.

With Romoff at the helm, UPMC has expanded across Pennsylvania with the acquisitions of regional health systems such as Susquehanna Health and Pinnacle Health and into New York and Maryland with the acquisitions of WCA Hospital in Jamestown, New York and Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland.

“Under Jeff’s leadership, UPMC has provided excellent and unmatched health care across our tri-state service territory and internationally. He has led UPMC in developing new models of care and supported advanced research that has benefitted our patients,” said G. Nicholas Beckwith III, chair of the UPMC Board of Directors. “Jeff’s contributions are numerous in helping to build UPMC into the global health care leader that it is today. The full Board of Directors joins me in recognizing Jeff’s accomplishments, including the establishment of a strong foundation for the advancement of patient care, research breakthroughs and developing the overall vision for UPMC’s growth.”

Romoff will remain with UPMC as president emeritus, acting as a resource for incoming president and CEO Leslie Davis.

Davis, president of the Health Services Division at UPMC and former president of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital from 2004 to 2018, joins the role after 30 years of health care experience.

As president of Health Services, Davis has been responsible for leading UPMC’s operations across its portfolio of hospitals and has played a large role in positioning the system as a national health care innovator, the system wrote in a statement on Wednesday.

“She brings a stellar track record built over three decades of leadership in health care with the background and expertise to help propel UPMC into the next phase of growth,” said Beckwith. “In her 17 years at UPMC, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to clinical excellence and very strong relationships with our patient families, physicians, employees, leaders and communities.”

Prior to joining UPMC, Davis was president of Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and began her career at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

“I look forward to continuing to ensure that health care is accessible and affordable to our communities while driving innovation, employee engagement, academic excellence and research across all of our hospitals and practices,” said Davis. “I am confident in our organization’s future and look forward to continuing to serve our patients, our members, our employees and our communities as UPMC soars to even greater heights in the future.”