Age diversity in the University of Kansas Health System's leadership team is valued.
It brings a "richness of opinions and discussions," Terry Rusconi, chief culture officer of the system's Kansas City division, told Becker's.
This blend of ages comes at a time when age trends within the workforce are pointing upward: the average age of C-suite executives climbed to 57 in 2023, and older Americans are projected to outnumber younger ones within a decade. Across industries, the average CEO is 59, according to research from consulting firm Korn Ferry.
Not every organization aligns with this trend. Take Aidan Hettler, the 24-year-old CEO of Julesburg, Colo.-based Sedgwick County Health Center.
"It's a privilege to be here," Mr. Hettler told Becker's in February. "I'm very lucky as a young person to be in this role. And I recognize, too, that I've got a role in establishing the precedent of what young people can do for places like this and anywhere."
As for KU Health, President and CEO Bob Page has held leadership roles in the system for over 25 years and became CEO in 2007.
But it's not so much about age for the system, Mr. Rusconi noted — it's about a deep-rooted understanding of the organization and its history and sustaining consistency in culture. This is what makes passing down historical knowledge so important, he said.
The blend of folks who have been at the system for decades and those who are newer make for better outcomes, he added.
"It may prolong the discussions a little bit, but at the end of the day we end up with a better decision than we would have if it was driven by one generation versus another," Mr. Rusconi said.