Shay Totten reported earlier this week that Dr. Melinda Estes may be stepping down as CEO of Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. Today, Estes ended the speculation with an email to FAHC employees announcing that she was indeed leaving:
I want to share with you that I will be leaving Fletcher Allen later this summer to become the chief executive officer of the Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Missouri.
The last eight years in Vermont and at Fletcher Allen Health Care have been some of the best in my life. Through my experiences here, I have had the opportunity to grow tremendously as a person, a colleague and an executive. All jobs have a finite lifespan and I have come to the realization that it is time to hand over the reigns of this organization to a new CEO. It has been the most difficult professional decision I have ever made, but I believe it’s time for a fresh perspective, a new set of eyes and new ideas. The next CEO will guide Fletcher Allen as we move into the world of health care reform at both the state and national level. The organization is in a strong position to be successful moving forward.
According to Totten, Estes had been reciving a “total compensation” package of at least $1.9 million (that from 2009, presumably there have been raises since).
figures for Ms. Estes are from the IRS 990s
when she arrived, she was paid about $700,000; so the $1.9 million represents a 170% increase in five years (including a period of deep recession as many Vermonters lost their jobs, pensions, and homes)
it appears that FAHC paid Ms. Estes about $6 million during that period, which does not include the last two years
the interim CEO Dr. John Brumsted (Estes’ #2) was paid $628,000 in 2009
the COO was paid $668,000
the CFO was paid $583,000
the Chief of RN’s was paid $505,000
and the Pres. of Faculty Practice was paid $648,000
thus, the top six administrators were paid $5 million in one year
Its hard enough not become a working class snook with grudge against the wealthy when I read about breath taking salaries and pay packages. So why does the Burlington Free Press have to include this bit about the Estes family looking forward to plenty of cheap nonstop flights available in Kansas City.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress…