Mark Smith to step down as CEO of California HealthCare Foundation

The California HealthCare Foundation's Mark Smith, M.D., is looking for health care entrepreneurs with a mission.

Dr. Mark Smith, 61, president and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation since its founding, is stepping down at year-end, the Oakland-based nonprofit entity said late Friday.

Spencer Sherman, a CHCF spokesman, said late Saturday that Smith's impending departure "was his choice" entirely and stressed that Smith gave the board a full year to conduct a search and find a strong successor.

Smith has headed the organization since 1996. Along with the California Endowment, CHCF was created at that time as an independent private foundation when Blue Cross of California converted from non-profit to for-profit status.

Board chairman Ian Morrison praised Smith for his ?remarkable leadership? over more than decade and a half.

Smith focused the foundation?s vision on improving health care ?where it matters most: in the clinics, the hospitals, doctors? offices and wherever Californians go to find care,? Morrison said in the Jan. 11 statement.

During Smith?s 16-year tenure, the foundation has made roughly $37 million in grants each year, for a total of more than $500 million. It has assets of $700 million and a staff of 50, according to its web site.

The group?s goals include improving health care quality, promoting greater access to care for the poor and uninsured, and reducing ?the cost of care for the state?s most vulnerable and underserved residents,? officials said.

CHCF hopes to have a new leader in place by year-end, at which point Smith will step down, officials said. A search for his successor will be conducted by the foundation?s board, which is led by Morrisoin, a well-known health futurist and speaker.

Chris Rauber's beats include health care, insurance and the wine industry for the San Francisco Business Times.

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