TACOMA, Wash. — MultiCare Health System today announced Chief Executive Officer William (Bill) Robertson will retire on Dec. 31.

Florence Chang, who serves as president, will assume the role of president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The transition, which was approved unanimously by the MultiCare Board of Directors, follows a thoughtful, long-term succession planning process.

Robertson will continue in his role through the end of the year as he works closely with Chang to ensure a smooth transition.

“The privilege of serving MultiCare and building on more than a century of community-centric service has been one of the most rewarding roles of my career,” Robertson said. “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our talented colleagues and community partners.”

Robertson joined MultiCare in 2014, serving as president and CEO until 2022, and as CEO since 2022. Under his leadership, MultiCare has grown to become the largest community-based nonprofit health system in the region, expanding access to primary, specialty and emergency care.

During Robertson’s tenure, the organization embraced a new mission, vision and strategic agenda, which became a driver for MultiCare’s expansion across Washington, establishing one of the most comprehensive, clinically integrated systems in the region, including the largest behavioral health care continuum in the Pacific Northwest.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Bill Robertson for his extraordinary leadership and the lasting impact he has had on MultiCare,” said John Wiborg, board chair for MultiCare Health System. “As MultiCare moves forward into this next chapter, the board has full confidence and trust in Florence Chang as she steps into this leadership role. She is a highly effective servant leader with a great passion for MultiCare’s mission, as well as a deep knowledge of the organization’s capabilities and areas of opportunity.”

Florence Chang joined MultiCare in 2006 as the senior vice president and chief information officer. Under her leadership, MultiCare was named top in the nation for information technology and won the prestigious HIMSS Davies Organizational Award of Excellence, given to just one health care system in the country for effectively using health information technology, such as the electronic health record, to improve the safety and quality of patient care.

Before becoming president in 2022, Chang previously served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, where she led operations across eight hospitals and more than 180 clinics while overseeing key systemwide functions such as supply chain, information services and technology, clinical support services, and facilities. Her career has been dedicated to advancing health care through operational excellence, digital transformation, and alignment of clinical and business strategies, while driving growth, integration and modernized care delivery.

“I’m deeply grateful for the chance to carry MultiCare’s mission forward,” said Chang. “I am humbled by the MultiCare board and Bill’s confidence in me. I have spent much of my career here, and it has been a privilege to help build a health system devoted to the health and healing of the communities we serve. I step into this role with optimism for our future. I plan to lead with the integrity that has been the cornerstone of this organization for more than a century.”

Today, MultiCare operates as a 13-hospital health system, with continued expansion underway, serving more than 2.6 million people with 30,000 team members, while maintaining strong community connections through outreach, philanthropy and sustained local engagement.

“MultiCare has an unwavering commitment to its mission and the communities we serve, and I know that will not falter with the incoming leadership,” said Robertson. “Florence’s contributions to MultiCare over more than two decades have been woven deeply into this organization. I am confident in her ability, and I look forward to working alongside her through this transition.”