Robert G. Carmen, president and CEO of Adventist Health, has announced his retirement, according to Ricardo Graham, chairman of the board. On April 1, 2014, Carmen will conclude a 44-year career with the health system, which spans the states of California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

The board of directors for Adventist Health regretfully accepted Carmen’s decision and has initiated a process to select his successor. That decision is expected before the end of the year.

“Bob is a leader who has successfully navigated many challenges and shifts within this industry. Adventist Health has proved itself a dynamic organization, which has benefited from Bob’s lengthy tenure. He has made tremendous contributions to Adventist Health and to his credit has assembled an accomplished senior leadership team to continue this legacy of service,” states Graham.

Carmen assumed his current position October 2007, after serving as executive vice president/COO for the Roseville, California-based system since 1999. Previously he was president of Adventist Health/Southern California, where he oversaw the operations of five hospitals and a medical foundation. Simultaneously Carmen was the president of White Memorial Medical Center and Glendale Adventist Medical Center, both in the Los Angeles area. Prior to that he was vice president of Region I, which encompassed Adventist Health’s Central California hospitals. He also served as president of Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii. An occupational therapist by training, he began his career in rehabilitation services.

Carmen has played a direct role in many organizational milestones. During his six-year tenure as president, Carmen has championed rural health clinics, innovation, quality, and growth. However, the most visible legacy of Carmen’s leadership is the shift toward ambulatory services. This includes the formation of Adventist Health Physician Services and the clinics, as well as outpatient services. These sites, which are now in excess of 180, bring health-care and preventive services to hundreds of communities across four states.

—Reported by Adventist Health