The Iowa Clinic announced today that its board of directors has named Ben Vallier as the next CEO of the physician-owned, multi-specialty clinic. Vallier succeeds Ed Brown, who helped found the clinic in 1994 and led the organization for more than 25 years before announcing his plans to step down from the CEO role last September. Dr. Mark Reece, the board chairman, has been the interim CEO. 

A native of Kansas, Vallier currently lives in Jefferson City, Mo., where for the past five years he has been the CEO of Jefferson City Medical Group, a physician-owned, independent medical practice with 115 providers in 13 locations. Vallier has a Bachelor of Arts degree in modern languages from Kansas State University and an MBA from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan.

“After an extensive search, the board is fortunate to have found someone as outstanding as Ben to lead The Iowa Clinic,” Dr. Jason Mohr, a pulmonary and critical care physician and co-chair elect of the Iowa Clinic’s board of directors, said in a statement. “Ben has the vision and leadership qualities that allow him to build trusting relationships inside our organization, but also out in the community. He’s dedicated to building a strong network of partnerships and will build positivity, trust and strength to our organization. His experience in a physician-owned medical group with a focus on patient-centered care aligns with the core of who we are as The Iowa Clinic.” 

Based in West Des Moines, the Iowa Clinic is the largest independent, physician-owned multi-specialty group in Greater Des Moines, with more than 250 physicians and health care providers practicing in 42 specialties. It serves a population base of 1.1 million patients, averaging 420,000 patient visits a year. 

Vallier’s selection caps a search process facilitated by Cejka Executive Search, a health care executive search firm. With more than 100 initial prospects, the field was narrowed to a group of five candidates who interviewed with the board’s search committee. Then three finalists were brought to the Iowa Clinic in West Des Moines to interview with key stakeholders, including the organization’s leadership, physicians and employees. 

He is an active member in his community and recently served on boards for Stratum Med Inc., Stratum Med ACO and the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce, and remains highly engaged with the United Way of Greater Missouri and Medical Group Management Association. 

Vallier and his wife, Laura, were both raised in central Kansas and are the parents of three daughters. He will officially begin as the Iowa Clinic’s CEO on Aug. 17.