In an unexpected move, the Tri-City Medical Center board said it would hire Steven Dietlin, its former chief financial officer, as its permanent chief executive officer.
Board chair Jim Dagostino made the announcement Thursday at a special board meeting.
“The board unanimously appointed our new CEO Mr. Dietlin,” Dagostino said.
The hire comes without a national search, and as the Oceanside hospital is finalizing a termination agreement with its former CEO Tim Moran, who served for two years. Moran will stay on as an employee though July 1, and he'll receive one year's salary of $525,000 and 12 months medical coverage in compensation.
Dagostino said the board felt they had the best candidate in house to carry on the hospital's goals of campus development and a partnership with the UC San Diego Health system. Tri-City also wants to hire new physicians and try to ensure financial stability.
“We as a board felt it was important to make our new partners secure,” Dagostino said. “That the new CEO was on board with what was going on with UCSD and was knowledgable, so that we didn't miss a beat.”
Dietlin has worked as a hospital executive for 25 years and he's been with Tri-City for three years. Dagostino said he is secure that Dietlin is committed to Tri-City.
The hospital has had four CEOs in the past four years.
Dietlin will immediately take the helm as CEO.
