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After 10 years at the helm of the Nashville Health Care Council (NHCC), Matthew S. Gallivan is stepping down as president to join Franklin’s Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS).

At CHS, the largest publicly traded hospital company in the United States, he will direct the corporation’s relations with state and federal governments in a newly-created position as vice president of government relations, which plays off his prior lobbying experience.

Before joining the Council in 1997 – just two years after its founding – Gallivan was associate vice president for Europe and the Americas for the Health Industry Manufacturers Association (HIMA), where he was responsible for developing and implementing strategies to achieve the international objectives of the U.S. medical device industry, including the development of favorable trade, regulatory and healthcare payment policies in Europe, Latin America and Asia. He was also responsible for preparing economic analysis for use in evaluating global market opportunities and for advancing industry positions on payment and key policy issues.

Gallivan also served for four years as director of trade finance in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President.

Caroline Young, NHCC vice president, will step into the chief executive position on an interim basis as a national search for the new Council president gets underway.

Gallivan said, “In the more than 10 years that I have served as president of the NHCC, it has been a great honor to work with industry leaders who form a “Who’s Who” of investor-owned healthcare. I greatly appreciate their support and the opportunity to represent the healthcare community in Nashville and the United States, as well as abroad.”

Under Gallivan’s leadership, Council membership has quadrupled to 160 Nashville-based and national healthcare companies and industry support firms.

While at the Council, Gallivan has helped organize and launch six high-level international healthcare trade missions that have established ties between industry leaders from the United States and other countries.

“These very successful meetings with health ministries and key financial players in private equity and investment groups in other countries have lead to important discussions of the opportunities and challenges ahead in major healthcare markets on both sides of the Atlantic,” he commented.

Gallivan pointed out that the creation in 2002 of the affiliate Leadership Health Care organization, focused on cultivating and educating the next generation of healthcare executives in Nashville, has been important in assuring the city continues to be recognized for its industry leadership on a state, national and international basis.

Also under Gallivan’s watch, the Council worked closely with Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the development of the Health Care Solutions Group.

Vanderbilt University Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Harry R. Jacobson, said, “Over the last decade, Matt has been instrumental in working with industry leaders and government officials in developing the Council into the force it is today. He has been not only a leader and facilitator, but also an ambassador and an influential representative. We are grateful for his service.”

Gallivan has participated on economic development teams that facilitated a number of healthcare company relocations to Nashville. In just the last year, California-based Cogent Healthcare, The Little Clinic, and Colorado-based dental managed care organization Forba Holdings, all moved their corporate headquarters to Nashville in addition to others.

“We worked closely with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and especially their relocation department, to raise awareness of Nashville’s position as the leader in the healthcare cluster,” Gallivan observed.

Ralph J. Schlutz, Jr., Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, commented, “Nashville is home to the strongest and most far-reaching healthcare industry cluster in the country, representing a nearly $20 billion segment of the Middle Tennessee economy. The Chamber is grateful for the tremendous contributions Matt has made to the NHCC. We are committed to building on his accomplishments as Nashville continues its dominance of the dynamic healthcare marketplace.”

Schultz is a member of the special committee of the NHCC board of directors established to participate in the search for Gallivan’s successor. Also serving on the search committee are Jacobson, who is the immediate past president of the Council; current NHCC chairman and Gallivan’s new boss, Community Health Systems Chairman Wayne T. Smith; and Thomas G. Cigarran, chairman of Healthways, Inc., who is also a former NHCC board chair.

While the search for a new president of the Council is underway, Young emphasized that the NHCC will continue as a vigorous promoter of Nashville’s position as the leader of healthcare business. Previously announced Council plans such as the scheduled trade mission to Stockholm and Berlin in September, led by HCA chairman Jack Bovender, will be a highlight of the NHCC fall agenda.

Gallivan pointed out that during his tenure at NHCC, there has been success in “extending the reach and recognition of Nashville” as it achieved a national and international reputation. Through a series of programs and panels, the Council has brought nationally prominent leaders in the healthcare industry to Nashville, including the heads of CMS, three successive leaders of Medicare, as well as a number of key senators, representatives and industry leaders.

“These programs have provided a great opportunity raise Nashville’s profile throughout the industry,” he commented, pointing out that “the ability to attract speakers and guests at this level continues to be a testament to the high regard in which the Nashville healthcare community is held, and the national and global reach of our healthcare industry.”

NHCC is a totally self-funded organization with financial backing coming solely from member dues and fees for program activities. It is an affiliate of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce but does not receive funding from the Chamber

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