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16 n e w h a v e n B I Z | F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m F O C U S : P o w e r 2 5 W hen Christopher O'Connor takes over as CEO of Yale New Haven Health on March 25, he will be at the helm of an organization with more than 28,000 employees. e system, which reported $5.3 billion in net revenue for fiscal year 2020, includes Yale New Haven Hospital, Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, and Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island. O'Connor, who has been president of the system since 2020, is replacing longtime CEO Marna Borgstrom, who is retiring. O'Connor has a lengthy history in the healthcare field. In recent years, from 2012 until 2020, O'Connor served as the system's executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before that, he was president and CEO of the Hospital of St. Raphael before it joined Yale New Haven Hospital. O'Connor took over as system president in the middle of the pandemic, and has been instrumental in working to ensure it has adequate personal protective equipment, medical supplies and other critical equipment. He has led initiatives for the system's growth, including bringing Yale New Haven Hospital and the Hospital of St. Raphael together in 2012, the affiliation with Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in 2016 and Bridgeport Hospital's acquisition of Milford Hospital in 2019. Looking forward, O'Connor will be overseeing the system's plans for a new neuroscience center at the St. Raphael campus. He plans to increase the partnership and collaboration with Yale University, Yale School of Medicine and Yale Medicine. He also says he plans to improve the system's financial situation, increase efficiency, invest in facilities and help the system grow. n Chris O'Connor, President & incoming CEO, Yale New Haven Health 2 New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker & Yale University President Peter Salovey 1 N ew Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Yale University President Peter Salovey recently heralded a new era in town-gown relations. In November, Yale pledged to give New Haven an additional $52 million in voluntary contributions over the next six years as part of a package designed to help the city grow with the university. Yale's payments to the city will rise by $10 million for each of the next five years and $2 million in the sixth year. e contributions will boost the total to about $23 million annually for a total of $135 million in the six-year period. Elicker had previously been calling on Yale to contribute more, noting how the university accounts for the "vast majority" of New Haven's non- taxable property. e deal was a key win for Elicker, the Elm City's 51st mayor, and it followed months of negotiations. Yale also announced it would be spending $5 million to create a new Center for Inclusive Growth designed to boost New Haven's economy. Both leaders have made efforts to help the city through the pandemic. Under Elicker's leadership, the city created initiatives such as "Together New Haven," which includes a website with information on how businesses can get federal, state and local assistance. Initiatives like the "Eat New Haven" and "Shop Local, Shop Small" campaigns have aimed to help local restaurants and retailers. Yale University has its "Yale Community for New Haven Fund." So far, the money raised has gone toward aid such as food assistance, laptops for students and to support a women's shelter. n newhavenBIZ Justin Elicker Peter Salovey