Tulsa Regional Chamber Inaugurates Kevin Gross
Chair of 2022 Board of Directors at Annual Event
CHAMBER LEADERS: Tulsa Regional Chamber past Chair Rose Washington Jones passes the leadership to 2022 Chair Kevin Gross.
The Tulsa Regional Chamber has inaugurated Kevin Gross, president and CEO of Hillcrest HealthCare System, as the 2022 chair of its board of directors.
At its annual business meeting, which was held at the Cox Business Convention Center in downtown Tulsa, Gross outlined his focus for the organization in 2022 and his optimism for long-term regional growth.
“I am absolutely convinced that—as we speed toward 2030—an obsessive focus on diversifying our economy, expanding our tourism industry and building a diverse, equitable and inclusive community will ensure we arrive at a prosperous future for all,” Gross said during his inaugural speech.
Gross succeeds outgoing Chair Rose Washington-Jones, who reflected on the Chamber’s efforts in 2021 and emphasized there is much to be optimistic about as northeast Oklahoma continues its recovery from the pandemic.
“Despite the ongoing challenges our community and our world faced in 2021, the Tulsa region had much to celebrate this past year,” said Washington-Jones. “You need look no further than the daily newspaper to see evidence of our region’s forward momentum.”
Also at Annual Meeting, awards were presented to the Chamber’s most outstanding partners in 2021:
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum
• Regional Tourism Partners of the Year: Sen. Chuck Hall and Rep. Scott Fetgatter
• Government Affairs Partner of the Year: David Stewart, MidAmerica Industrial Park
• Community Development Partner of the Year: Sen. Kevin Matthews
• Resource Development Partner of the Year: Ginger Kollmann, JPMorgan Chase Bank
• Regional Partner of the Year: Gary Akin, Owasso Chamber of Commerce
• Board of Directors Award of Excellence: GableGotwals
• Conscience of the Community Award: Phil Armstrong, Greenwood Rising
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Retired Tulsa County Commissioner Ron Peters
“The work of the Chamber simply could not happen without the tremendous commitment of time and resources by our partners across the region,” says Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “The annual Partner of the Year Awards give us a chance to publicly recognize those who have made the greatest contributions to further the Chamber’s strategic initiatives during the previous year. We are indebted to each and every one of the honorees for their unwavering support and investment in the Chamber and in our region.”
As president of the Oklahoma Division, Gross leads the operations of the Hillcrest HealthCare System, which includes Hillcrest Medical Center, Oklahoma Heart Institute, Hillcrest Hospital South, Bailey Medical Center, Hillcrest Hospital Claremore, Hillcrest Hospital Cushing, Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta, Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital, and the Utica Park Clinic physician group.
Gross has more than 30 years of experience, working with all sectors of the hospital industry. He most recently served as senior vice president for hospital operations for RehabCare Group Inc. Earlier in his career, he served as president and CEO of United Regional Health Care System in Wichita Falls, Texas; St. Luke’s Medical Center, part of the HealthONE system in Denver, Colo.; and Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo, Texas, as well as president of HCA’s Midwest Division.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and a MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).
