HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health’s chief financial officer (CFO), Paula Tinch, will retire at the end of January 2025.
Tinch leaves Penn State Health in a solid financial position following a $217 million financial turnaround from the end of fiscal year 2023 to the end fiscal year 2024 and solid financial performance through the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.
During her time with the organization, Tinch played a critical role in securing the financing to support Penn State Health’s systemwide expansion, including the construction of Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center, Lancaster Pediatric Center and the new Penn State Health Cancer Center currently being built at Hampden Medical Center. She also led the finance strategy needed to acquire and integrate several private practice physician groups and build several new Penn State Health Medical Group locations.
“In her work as our finance leader, Paula has consistently demonstrated a collaborative and respectful approach during a time of tremendous transformation for our health system,” said Deborah Addo, interim chief executive officer (CEO). “I am grateful for her contributions and wish her and her family all the best as she prepares for this next exciting chapter of her life.”
Tinch, who joined Penn State Health in June 2019, also was a stabilizing force for the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic and the years of unprecedented health system growth and change that followed it. In addition to supporting the organization’s financial turnaround over the past two years, Tinch also led the finance team through challenges associated with the COVID pandemic, helping Penn State Health avoid the layoffs that faced many other health systems across the region and the United States.
“I am extremely proud of the work we’ve been able to accomplish as a team over the past several years,” Tinch said. “It has been an exciting and rewarding opportunity to support the continued growth of Penn State Health, whether supporting the development of new hospitals and practices or helping integrate Holy Spirit Medical Center, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and several private practices. I’m pleased our team could contribute to building a strong foundation for the health system.”
The health system will conduct a national search for a new permanent CFO once recruitment of a new CEO is complete. This will enable the new CEO to select a finance officer who best fits their vision for the organization. The CEO search is currently underway and is expected to be complete in spring 2025.