Kirby Partners Places New CIO for Blanchard Valley

Executive Search Firm Kirby Partners is pleased to announce the placement of James Wellman, CHCIO as Blanchard Valley Health System’s new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Wellman will be primarily responsible for overseeing the strategy and development of the information technology department and will join the other members of the BVHS Executive Steering Council.

Wellman comes to Blanchard Valley Health System with 30 years of experience in management and healthcare IT support. He earned a master’s degree in healthcare administration at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK) and eventually became a certified healthcare chief information officer (CHICIO) from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives.

Prior to joining the BVHS team, Wellman was the Chief Information & Compliance Officer for Comanche County Memorial Hospital in Oklahoma. He began his career at the University of Kentucky HealthCare, dedicating 21 years to the organization’s IT department.

Wellman has a passion for working in the community hospital environment and understands the great responsibility health care IT has on an organization and community. “I truly enjoy working with a team to help them grow professionally and personally,” he said. “I maintain an open-door policy and believe that all those who work in health care IT must understand and embrace the health care mission.”

Blanchard Valley Health System is looking forward to having Wellman become a vital asset to their healthcare IT team. “We are pleased to welcome James and his wife, Amy, to the BVHS family,” said Scott Malaney, CEO and president of BVHS. “James brings a unique skillset geared toward advancing IT departments in the health care setting. We are excited to see the positive impact he will have on our organization.”

Founded in 1891, Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has grown from a single hospital to a comprehensive health system, offering a full continuum of care within their two hospitals, Blanchard Valley Hospital and Bluffton Hospital. The health system maintains strong community ties and is one of the largest employers in the eight-county area, with more than 3,000 associates and over 400 volunteers.

About Kirby Partners 

Kirby Partners, one of Forbes 2019 Best Executive Recruiting Firms with 30 years of experience, partners with leading healthcare organizations, consulting firms, and corporations to fill their key c-level leadership positions. Kirby Partners has conducted over 60 searches in the last three years and are published industry experts that present at top conferences, including CHIME and HIMSS.