CANTON, Ohio (June 30, 2021) – After 20 years at the helm of Stark County’s largest employer, Ed Roth is stepping down as president and CEO of Aultman Health Foundation. He officially leaves his position on July 1 but will remain with the organization until Spring 2022 to provide a transition period for his successor, Rick Haines, currently president and CEO of the Aultman Heath Foundation’s insurance company, AultCare. News of the transition was announced and approved today at meetings of both the Aultman Health Foundation and AultCare Boards of Directors.

“We are truly indebted to Ed for the legacy he will leave behind,” said Aultman Health Foundation Board Chair Emil Alecusan. “Under Ed’s leadership, Aultman has grown from its campus in Canton to a network of facilities that spans seven counties throughout Northeast Ohio. Among many other achievements, that growth includes making Aultman Orrville and Aultman Alliance Community Hospitals part of our system, establishing a collaborative relationship with Akron Children’s and Pomerene Hospitals, opening the Aultman Massillon free-standing emergency department, evolving the Aultman School of Nursing to become Aultman College, establishing The Aultman Foundation, creating the Aultman Specialty Hospital, growing and expanding Aultman Hospital, Aultman Deuble Heart and Vascular Hospital, AultCare and PrimeTime Health Plan, joining with North Canton Medical Group to create Aultman North Canton Medical Center, building Aultman Woodlawn and the Aultman Women’s Board’s Compassionate Care Center and planning the Timken Family Cancer Center. Today, we employ more than 7,000 dedicated professionals and work with nearly 900 talented physicians in a broad range of medical specialties. Ed’s vision has been to create a health system that fully serves the needs of our community. Under his leadership, we have more than achieved that vision.”

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to work with the dedicated people who make up Aultman Health Foundation,” said Roth. “Every success we’ve realized has been a team effort, and I leave knowing that we’ve made tremendous strides in our mission to lead our community to improved health. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Rick Haines for many years as part of Aultman’s leadership group and I know our organization is in extremely capable hands. I wish him, and everyone at Aultman, every success as they continue to seek ways to support our regional health care system committed to specialized care and service for our patients, health plan enrollees and college students.”

Roth joined Aultman Health Foundation in 1981 as materials management director. He held a succession of positions including chief operating officer of Aultman Hospital. In addition, he served as interim chief executive officer of Alliance Community Hospital, managed PrimeTime Health Plan and designed and developed the six-story physicians’ office building on Aultman’s main campus in Canton. He became president and CEO in 2001.

A long-time community leader and a Canton native, Roth is past board chair of the Ohio Hospital Association, vice chair of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, a member of the Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Company Board and a member of the Stark County Catholic Schools Board. His past board and community service with many organizations includes work with the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Stark Development Board, United Way of Stark County, Walsh University, Canton Central Catholic High School, Junior Achievement, the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank and Team NEO.

Aultman Veterans Will Lead the AHF System and AultCare

Before becoming president and CEO of AultCare, Aultman Health Foundation’s affiliated health insurance company, Rick Haines served in a succession of positions at Aultman Hospital, including personnel coordinator, director of budgeting, director of patient accounts and associate vice president of finance. He was named associate vice president of managed care for AultCare in 1985, executive vice president in 1997 and was named president and CEO in 2001. He will be succeeded at AultCare by Jim Savage, currently senior vice president and chief financial officer for the organization.

“When we began looking for Ed’s successor, we knew we wanted someone who would share his vision and we knew we wanted someone who would continue Aultman’s commitment to serving this region with quality health care services,” said Alecusan. “With his 40 years of work for Aultman Health Foundation, Rick brings the added dividend of being well-known by our staff, our partners and our community. He’s already proven that he is incredibly results-oriented. We are excited for him to take on this new role.”

At AultCare, Haines was responsible for an organization with $500 million in revenues and more than 500 employees. The company has been named one of the Best Insurance Companies by U.S. News & World Report for multiple years for its Medicare Advantage Plan. It is the only Medicare Advantage Plan in Ohio to receive this rating. AultCare has retained more than 90% of its customers year after year since its inception in 1985. Haines’ volunteer work includes past board chairmanships with the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Kent State University Stark, as well as leading the annual fundraising campaign for United Way of Stark County along with his wife, Vicki. He is a member of the board for America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

“I appreciate the confidence Aultman’s board of directors has placed in me,” said Haines. “As we begin to emerge from COVID-19, we have opportunities to expand our services, grow our footprint and build on all the excellent work Ed and his team put in place over the last two decades. Aultman’s stability in this community will continue to be steadfast. I’m looking forward to serving the system I love in a brand-new capacity.”

Jim Savage, Haines’ successor at AultCare and North Canton native, will assume his new responsibilities following 30 years of service with Aultman Health Foundation. With a background in finance and accounting, Savage has specialized in underwriting and actuarial services and has worked with the AultComp managed care organization and third-party administrator. Savage has had oversight of PrimeTime Health Plan, AultCare’s Medicare Advantage Plan. PrimeTime is one of only two plans in Ohio to earn a 4.5 Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for 2021 and has an overall rating and performed within the 90^th percentile nationally among all Medicare Advantage health plans. Savage was a member of the Canton Rotary for 10 years, served on the Meyers Lake YMCA Board of Directors and volunteers annually in the Wishes Can Happen Wish-A-Thon.

About Aultman Health Foundation
The Aultman Health Foundation is a nonprofit health care organization serving Stark and surrounding counties. The integrated health care system includes Aultman Hospital, Aultman Deuble Heart and Vascular Hospital, Aultman Specialty Hospital, Aultman Orrville Hospital, Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, the locally managed health insurance provider AultCare, The Aultman Foundation and Aultman College. With 1,032 beds, nearly 900 active physicians and a team of more than 7,000 employees, Aultman is Stark County's largest provider of health care services. For more information, visit www.aultman.org.