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Nashville General CEO Joseph Webb to Leave; Board Votes Not to Renew Contract
Summary
The Hospital Authority Board accepted CEO Joseph Webb's notice that he will not seek renewal and voted to not renew his contract; board also accepted his effective departure date of March 14, 2025.
Joseph Webb, chief executive officer of Nashville General Hospital, informed the Hospital Authority Board on Feb. 27 that he will not seek renewal of his employment agreement and that his departure will be effective March 14, 2025. Webb’s letter, read to the board, said, “My departure date will be effective as of 03/14/2025. I trust that my compensation and other obligations as outlined in my agreement will be fully honored as we navigate this transition.”
The board later voted to adopt a committee recommendation not to renew Webb’s contract when it ends June 30, 2025. The motion to not renew was made by the CEO performance review committee and carried after discussion by board members who cited strained relationships with key partners, repeated audit findings and lingering operational weaknesses.
The committee’s recommendation and the full-board vote followed public comment both supporting and criticizing Webb’s tenure. Speakers who praised Webb noted operational improvements and awards; other speakers and board members pointed to concerns including internal-control weaknesses, vendor and contracting problems identified during recent audits and employee morale issues.
Board members on the committee said their recommendation reflected a strategic decision about the leadership the hospital will need going forward. The committee report cited: ongoing weaknesses in internal controls and audits; periodic lapses in physician and employee engagement scores; problems in the hospital’s relationship with Meharry Medical College; and accounts payable and cash-flow pressures.
After the nonrenewal vote, the board unanimously accepted Webb’s resignation letter as submitted Feb. 26 and approved his earlier-noted effective departure date of March 14, 2025. Board members said the acceptance was intended to provide a clear transition timeline.
The board did not publicly provide a timeline for selecting an interim or permanent successor. Members said transition planning, including steps to stabilize operations and maintain continuity of patient care, will be discussed in upcoming meetings and during a closed strategic session scheduled at the end of the Feb. 27 meeting.
Webb, who served about a decade as CEO, told the board he was proud of several initiatives launched during his tenure and asked that the hospital’s staff and programs not be judged harshly amid the leadership change. He said accomplishments include new clinical programs and improvements in operating margin and quality scores.
The board’s actions on Feb. 27 were procedural formalities that will be followed by administrative steps to manage the operational transition. The board chair said the authority will announce further details about transition staffing and search plans when those are finalized.
