Lurie Children’s Selects Nominee for Election as New President & CEO

July 25, 2019

Patrick Magoon to retire; Thomas Shanley, MD, selected as successor

CHICAGO, IL – Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago today announced that President & CEO Patrick Magoon has decided to retire after 42 years of service and 22 years in the top leadership role. The organization’s Executive Committee unanimously selected Thomas Shanley, MD, to be the nominee for election by the Board of Directors as Magoon’s successor at its Annual Meeting on December 5, 2019. Currently, Dr. Shanley is Chair of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and President & Chief Research Officer of Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Lurie Children’s. Magoon will support the transition as Emeritus CEO for one year effective January 1, 2020.

Magoon devoted his entire professional career to Lurie Children’s (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital), where he started as an intern in 1977. He served in several operational and leadership roles before being named CEO in 1997. He led the hospital turnaround from an annual operating loss to consistently strong financial performance. Under Magoon’s leadership, the hospital was relocated in 2012 to a new state-of-the-art facility on the downtown campus of its academic partner, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and has increased the number of beds from 288 to 364 by this fall.  In 2019, in addition to growing capacity at the hospital, Magoon led the way for the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute to move to a new state-of-the-art home at the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center.

“It has been a tremendous privilege to serve on behalf of the children and families who come to Lurie Children’s for the excellent care and compassionate service,” said Magoon. “The hospital’s growth and the recent move of the Manne Research Institute to the downtown campus are significant milestones towards our vision to create a healthier future for every child. The Executive Committee and I are confident that Dr. Shanley is the right person to build on this momentum and lead the advancement of pediatric medicine and science.”

Dr. Shanley joined Lurie Children’s in 2015, after leading transformation and faculty collaboration as Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“Dr. Shanley is an exceptional and visionary leader,” said Roxanne Martino, Chair of Lurie Children’s Board of Directors. “He has drawn incredible talent to the organization and has been a passionate advocate with donors on behalf of Lurie Children’s Campaign for every child. We are thrilled to present Dr. Shanley to the Board for election as President & CEO.”

“It is truly an honor to be asked to lead this prestigious hospital,” said Dr. Shanley. “I want to thank Pat for his mentorship, exceptional service to this institution, and his dedicated advocacy for children’s health locally and nationally. I am fortunate to have him as an invaluable advisor during the transition process.”

Lurie Children’s is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals in the U.S.News & World Report. It is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Last year, the hospital served more than 212,000 children from 49 states and 51 countries.