Mainebiz Special Editions

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 35 M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 0 Richard Petersen President / MaineHealth What he is doing today: President MaineHealth, Maine's largest private employer, with 19,000 employees. Key lessons learned as a man- ager: As a leader I have learned to ground myself in the values of the organization, never forget the people on the front line doing the work and never lose your sense of humor and humility. Advice to Maine's next genera- tion of business leaders: I'm not sure I am in the position of giv- ing out advice, but since you have asked the question I think sticking to principles and values as you go about your work would be one of them. If you follow these I believe you usually come out with the right decision or strategy. What's next: I have been blessed to have served in the health care industry for over 40 years and I work for an outstanding organization that has a rich history and a very bright future of serving the citizens of Maine. I see nothing but improved health and health care for our citizens. As for me personally, my tenure as a leader in healthcare is nearing the end and I hope that I can continue to add value in what- ever direction the winds take me. gratification. Take a long view of your career and you will likely have great success over time. What's next: To work hard, stay focused, and continue building upon the solid foundation my parents, Paul and Yvette Mitchell, built for me and for GHM. From there, my hope is to continue growing and expanding my businesses by retaining and attracting the best talent, forging strong partnerships with our various vendors and stakeholders, and ultimately deliver an exceptional experience for the thousands of outstanding customers we serve throughout Maine, and the other 20+ states we do business in. William Caron CEO / MaineHealth What he is doing today: CEO of MaineHealth Key lessons learned as a manager: • Team members are the most important asset of any organization. • Always surround your- self with people who are a) smarter than you, and b) have a similar passion for the mis- sion of the organization. • Be truthful with people who work for you. ey appreci- ate it and it is the right thing to do. • Never ask a team member to do something you wouldn't do yourself — including working hard. Advice to Maine's next generation of business leaders: Always recognize that, as a business leader, you and your organization are part of a larger community. at relationship brings with it a personal and organizational obligation to commit your time and treasure to mak- ing things better for your community. Someone else previously made contributions that today you and your organization are benefiting from. Pay it forward! What's next: Retirement…Yeah! — December 2020. MaineHealth is currently the leading health care system in Northern New England. Under future leadership I believe MaineHealth will continue to evolve its focus on improving the health of the communities we serve. Health care in general will continue to evolve and I expect that MaineHealth will do the same. I anticipate that improving quality, access to care, affordability of care and the value of the care we provide to our com- munities will remain as the key focal areas for our health system. Richard Petersen, president of MaineHealth, plans to retire on June 30, 2021. William Caron, the CEO who has seen MaineHealth through a massive period of expansion, plans to retire at the end of 2020. As a leader I have learned to ground myself in the values of the organization, never forget the people on the front line doing the work. –Richard Petersen Always recognize that, as a business leader, you and your organization are part of a larger community. – William Caron

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