The resignation of a CFO charged with driving the financials of a newly formed health system may not be ideal less than a year into its formation, but it won't affect the trajectory of the Bellin Gundersen Health System.
So says the health system after revealing Gerald Oetzel will be leaving his position effective Sept. 29. The combined Bellin Gundersen Health, formed from the merger of La Crosse, Wis.-based Gundersen Health and Green Bay, Wis.-based Bellin Health became effective Dec. 1, 2022.
Mr. Oetzel had been CFO of Gundersen Health since 2019 and was instrumental in driving the proposed merger forward, a spokesperson for the combined system told Becker's.
"Gerry has a long track record and has been part of a very strong leadership team both in terms of day to day operations and in setting and reaching strategic goals," the spokesperson said.
Mr. Oetzel, who is set to become CFO at Philadelphia-based Temple Health, was one of a number of relatively recent changes in the finance team of the combined system.
Jim Dietsche, then CFO of Bellin Health, stepped down from his position Jan. 6. Michelle Micka, who is responsible for financials at Gundersen, became vice president of finance very recently.
Bellin Gundersen Health has appointed Steven Little as interim CFO while the system looks for a permanent leader.
Mr. Oetzel, a Philadelphia native, is taking up the Temple position for personal reasons, Bellin Gundersen Health said.
His role there is due to start in early September, according to Temple Health, which did not respond to a request for comment on the apparently conflicting start and finish dates.