Leadership change at Johns Hopkins Medicine International

Dear Colleagues,

It is with deep gratitude tempered by sincere regret that we must announce the decision of Steven Thompson, the founding leader of what is now known as Johns Hopkins Medicine International, to resign his post as its chief executive officer, effective September 1.

For more than 30 years, Steve has been an extraordinarily valued member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine family. The scope of his roles and achievements is staggering, and his ability to handle a wide variety of complex jobs with a rare combination of intense concentration and low-key equanimity has been nothing less than astonishing.

Beginning as a perfusionist in the Department of Surgery who then became an anesthesiology and critical care medicine administrator, Steve went on to handle multiple portfolios, serving not only as Johns Hopkins Medicine's vice dean for administration but as chief executive officer of our clinical services operations in Singapore and vice president of ambulatory services.

In January 1999, he was asked to be the leader of a new office, then known as Johns Hopkins International, created to centralize and facilitate Johns Hopkins Medicine's international initiatives and activities. Between 1999 and 2009, Steve oversaw the launch of more than 50 innovative projects overseas that generated more than $100 million in revenues, mostly for our clinical departments. In 2005, he was named senior vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine, overseeing the coordination and planning, integration and evolution of our inpatient and outpatient clinical enterprise, including the integration of two new hospitals and a host of other new affiliations and relationships. In 2011, he returned to what had become known as Johns Hopkins Medicine International to once again serve as its dynamic leader during another period of enormous creativity and growth.

For the past three and a half years, Steve has forged a solid foundation for the broad expansion of Johns Hopkins Medicine International's two endeavors, global and patient services. This base, along with the strong leadership team he has put in place, will ensure that JHI will remain competitive and continue to position Johns Hopkins Medicine as an international leader in medicine.

Steve has said his difficult decision to leave JHI was reached after long reflection and deep consideration—two qualities that he has exhibited consistently throughout his distinguished career here. We extend our warm good wishes to him as he explores the next phase in his career. 

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
The Frances Watt Baker, M.D., and Lenox D. Baker, Jr. M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine