Meet Randy Oostra, Our New President and CEO

As of Oct. 1, 2009, Randy Oostra, DM, FACHE, took over the reins from Alan W. Brass, who has been chief executive officer of PHS since 1998. For a recent Inside interview, Randy was asked quite simply, “Who are you … and how did you become our CEO?”
In his usual, affable manner, Randy, 54, briefly discussed his upbringing. “I’m originally from a small farming community in northwest Iowa—Sioux Center—which had a population of 3,000. The highest structure in town was for grain storage!”
He proudly notes that he is of Dutch descent. “My mom was born in The Netherlands. She and Dad immigrated to America to live with relatives in Iowa,” he says. “They established roots in that particular location because they shared a rich heritage and unique family traditions with other Dutch immigrants who also were faith-based and had a strong work ethic.”
Randy was the youngest of three children. His sister is 13 years older and married to a pastor; due to his profession, they’ve lived throughout the U.S. over the years. Randy’s brother and sister-in-law both became teachers. “The paths chosen by my siblings clearly reflect the strong emphasis our parents placed on both faith and education.”
How did these same ideals shape Randy’s career in health care? “Like my siblings, and out of respect for my parents’ sacrifices, I set high expectations for myself. We all yearned for a life better than the previous generation’s. Health care was a natural calling, because we valued working together to help others.”
He further recalls, “Growing up with Depression-era parents, we understood at an early age that the road to our future would be paved by hard work and getting a good education.”
Randy’s own children—three sons, ages 23, 22 and 20—carry on the family commitment to education. His two older boys are in medical school, and his youngest son attends Bowling Green State University. His wife, Barb, who grew up on a farm, is the development director of Toledo Christian School.
Outside work, Randy enjoys golfing and staying active with his family. “Exercise is an essential part of my routine. It’s a good stress-reliever,” he says. He also is a strong community advocate, serving on several boards for nonprofit organizations such as the Cherry Street Mission and United Way of Greater Toledo.
Where will our new president and CEO lead us? “We’ve been a very successful organization over the past decade. So I don’t see any immediate, radical changes,” Randy forecasts. “However, ProMedica will need to change in response to the current health care climate. I also envision strengthening our service to the community in very tangible ways.”
When asked what ProMedica’s greatest strength is, without hesitation he replies, “Our employees … the people who have chosen to commit their life’s work to our patients.”
Editor’s Note: Each month Inside will feature Randy discussing various topics, such as local health care amid reform, living a legacy through philanthropy, and more. If you have suggestions for these topics, please send them to inside@promedica.org. We value your input.





