De la Torre approved as CEO
Caritas Christi board unanimously endorses cardiac surgeon to run archdiocese's hospitals
Caritas Christi Health System's board of governors yesterday voted unanimously to approve Dr. Ralph de la Torre as chief executive of the six-hospital chain owned by the Archdiocese of Boston.
De la Torre will start his new job May 1. Currently, he is the chief of cardiac surgery and head of the Cardiovascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The Boston Globe reported yesterday that de la Torre will head the hospital chain following its on-again, off-again search of nearly two years to find a permanent leader.
James J. Karam, the chairman of Caritas Christi's board, called de la Torre "a charismatic driver."
"He's like the Energizer Bunny," said Karam. "He just doesn't stop. He's going to take us across the finish line in five years - or he'll kill us.
"What attracted me to him is that his strengths fit with our weaknesses and where he needs time to grow as a chief executive, we already have some very good people."
Karam said contract details were still being worked out, but de la Torre would earn about $1.3 million to $1.4 million in salary and be eligible for a bonus of about $300,000 to $400,000 based on meeting performance goals.
Dr. John B. Chessare, interim president and the chief executive since May 2006, will remain president of Caritas Norwood Hospital.
The hospital chain's efforts to revamp its governance structure are progressing, Karam said. The board recently voted to approve a system under which the state's second-largest hospital chain will operate independently from the archdiocese except in medical ethics matters and the sale of assets. Also, its board will expand to 17 members, three of whom will be appointed by Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, head of the archdiocese. O'Malley will also have the right to approve the other members.
Karam will seek reelection as chairman when the new board is formed.
Jeffrey Krasner can be reached at krasner@globe.com.
