In a move to restructure its leadership team, Houston-based UT MD Anderson Cancer Center is eliminating its executive vice president roles. Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD, provost and EVP; and Thomas A Buchholz, MD, physician in chief and EVP; will both return to faculty positions, while the third EVP and former CFO, Dan Fontaine, previously announced his retirement and will serve as a senior advisor until next year.
Dr. Dmitrovsky will focus on supporting the institution's Cancer Center Support Grant. He will return to his scholarship at MD Anderson. Dr. Buchholz will continue as professor of radiation oncology at MD Anderson, and he will remain involved in philanthropic and corporate sponsorship activities. He holds the Hubert L. Stringer Distinguished Chair in Oncology position. Mr. Fontaine plans to serve as senior advisor until January 2018.
Both Drs. Dmitrovsky and Buchholz were named to their previous roles in 2013 by Ronald DePinho, MD, who resigned in March, following a year-long period of financial trouble.
Marshall E. Hicks, MD, interim president of the institution announced the new leadership structure via a video.
"This change is a natural progression of our shared governance model and another opportunity for our community to focus on teamwork," said Dr. Hicks in the video. "Importantly, this change is being made so we can make decisions closer to where the work is being done and create an environment where all views are considered."
MD Anderson is in the midst of a search for a permanent president.