Hartford Business Journal

8 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 On The Record | Q&A Gina Calder is the new president of Hartford HealthCare's Central Region, which includes The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain and MidState Medical Center in Meriden. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 'Uniquely Qualified' As Hartford HealthCare's first Black woman regional president, Calder aims to create 'pathways for others' "So when we look at our market promise, we call it 'A2, E2,' focusing on accessibility, affordability, equity and excellence," Calder said. "These are the reasons that I got into health care." She said her family "didn't have a lot," but did have some health issues and "didn't have the access that we needed, or, if we had access, we couldn't afford the best of what was offered." "And so," she continued, "because Hartford HealthCare really focuses specifically on making sure that we offer that (A2, E2) to all people, I couldn't say no." 'Uniquely qualified' While announcing the decision to hire Calder in March, Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Jeffrey Flaks said she is "uniquely qualified" to lead the health system's central region. The hospitals she oversees gener- ated nearly $1.2 billion in revenue and employed more than 4,200 people in 2023, according to financial reports. Calder is one of three new C-suite executives hired or promoted by Hartford HealthCare in the past few months, joining Bimal Patel, who was elevated to be the health system's executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Cheryl Ficara, who was promoted to president of the Hartford region and a senior vice president. During a recent interview with Hartford Business Journal, Calder discussed her background and how it prepared her for the challenges of her new role. Here's what else she had to say. The Q&A was edited for space and clarity. Q. CEO Jeffrey Flaks made a point of noting that you are HHC's first black female regional president. How important is that distinction to you, and what do you think it means for others? A. It reminds me that I stand on the shoulders of giants. There were so many women — Lucille Janatka (the former longtime president and CEO of MidState Medical Center who retired in 2017) to name one — and many, many others who made it possible for me to get here. And so the intention that Jeff had in actually including that in my announcement also signaled to me the importance that it holds for Hartford HealthCare and our shared priority that I won't be the last. It is my job to pave those pathways for others, so that other people can have that opportunity to really give back, to serve, to have impact, to contribute, no matter where they come from, no matter what their background is, as long as they've got that passion and are really aligned with who we are and where we're going. By David Krechevsky davidk@hartfordbusiness.com G ina Calder doesn't have an office. She has offices. As the new president of Hartford HealthCare's Central Region — which includes The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain and its Bradley Memorial campus in Southington, plus MidState Medical Center in Meriden — she has at least three offices, plus a mobile one. "I have … a nice bag that I have set up for myself that I can show up anywhere and make myself at home so I can get things done," she said. "I am at least at three different loca- tions in any given week." Calder, who officially succeeded Gary Havican on Sept. 1, said she prefers her mobile office. "I think it's important that every- body sees me," she said. "I'm not going to expect that folks try to find me in one place. I'll go to them." 'I couldn't say no' That's a little easier working for Hartford HealthCare than it was in her previous role as president of Barnes-Jewish St. Peter's Hospital and Progress West Hospital, both in Missouri and members of the BJC Health System serving Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. Calder is grateful to return to the Northeast; she has settled in Berlin. A New Jersey native, she, her sister and two brothers were raised by their Jamaican-immigrant father and South Carolina-native mother. While dad worked as a server in the banquet hall at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, Calder's mom was an administrative assistant. "I learned all my organizational skills from her," she said. Calder's three degrees from Yale University — including a master's in public health policy and administra- tion and an MBA — also helped. But she said returning to Connecticut — where she completed her administrative residency and a fellowship, and spent 14 years in the Yale New Haven Health system — offered her an opportunity to work with Hartford HealthCare, which shares her "core passions." GINA L. CALDER Central Region President Hartford HealthCare Age: 43 Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, Yale University; master's of public health policy and administration, Yale School of Public Health; MBA, Yale School of Management

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