UPAL is delighted to announce to its member physicians – their staff members and our business partners – the appointment of Kent Butcher as its new CEO effective January 1, 2016.
He will succeed Donald Orchard, UPAL’s CEO and legal counsel for nearly 30 years.
Kent was selected by the UPAL physician Board in a competitive process after considering a pool of interested and highly-qualified internal and external candidates.
Kent has been a key member of UPAL’s management team for over a year, following 14 years as CEO of Oklahoma Oncology, a UPAL-member medical practice. He is presently Vice President and COO, as well as a Registered Investment Advisor Representative for UPAL’s financial service offerings.
Announcing Kent’s selection, UPAL Chairman Ray Balyeat, M.D., said: “Kent has been a great addition to the UPAL management team since joining us. He was chosen from a strong field of well-qualified candidates. We believe he has exceptional credentials which uniquely position him to support the strategic direction set by the UPAL physician Board and officers.”
Kent holds an MBA from Oklahoma City University and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oklahoma. With a career that spans 34 years in senior level healthcare management, the UPAL Board of Directors is confident that Kent is the best choice to continue to guide UPAL in its mission to provide the highest quality services and benefits to the UPAL membership.
Reflecting on his selection, Kent stated: “I am honored that the Board has placed this confidence in me. I look forward to leading UPAL and serving its membership in the coming years. It’s a wonderful Company, and this is a wonderful professional opportunity. I am determined to continue the momentum UPAL has established.”
Donald Orchard, who recruited Kent to join UPAL, expressed confidence in the Board’s choice and in Kent’s executive leadership abilities saying: “I am personally delighted to hand over the reins to Kent. Our firm is in great shape and has a solid base on which to build and grow our capabilities to help physicians address the increasingly complex problems they face. Kent will be a big part of that future.”
To learn more about Kent Butcher and the rest of the dedicated UPAL team, visit the UPAL Web site at https://upal.com/about-upal/meet-our-team/.
