Daniel J. Snyder, an internationally recognized healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience in private and military medicine, has been named Chief Executive Officer of University Health System effective Feb. 6.

In his role he will oversee all strategic and operational initiatives for both the Shreveport and Monroe hospitals and their ancillary services.

“Mr. Snyder’s extensive experience in leading hospitals and healthcare systems worldwide, including academic medical center teaching hospitals, makes him an excellent choice for our hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe and for the citizens of North Louisiana,” said Steve Skrivanos, University Health Board Chairman. “Add to that his distinguished service as a Captain in military medicine for our country and I think everyone can see why the BRF and University Health are excited to bring this level of talent to north Louisiana to serve as our permanent CEO.”

Snyder replaces Richard Cascio, who has been serving as interim CEO.

Snyder is the former CEO of University of Miami Hospital, the only university-owned teaching hospital in Florida, where he led a turnaround from one of the lowest clinically ranked hospitals in the state to being positioned as one of the upper 10 percent of all hospitals in the U.S. Under his leadership the hospital achieved infection rates well below national standards and he deployed the Premier Quality Advisor system to provide a physician scorecard to every member of the medical staff.

University of Miami Hospital has 560 beds and more than 4,000 employees.

In addition to his academic medical center experience, he is a dual master’s-level, board-certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and has served as CEO of Asia Pacific Health Partners, which seeks to improve healthcare delivery systems across Asia while building bridges across the Pacific between healthcare systems in the United States and Asia.

He previously served as CEO of Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Center in Mumbai, India; of Parkway Health in Singapore; and as President of the Western Region for Banner Health, one of the largest multi-state healthcare systems in the United States.

Before those assignments, Snyder served as Director of Medical Strategy, Planning, Programming and Budgeting for the Office of Chief of Naval Operations at The Pentagon, helping manage 175 facilities and 65,000 employees worldwide.

He was selected to attend the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., where he earned his Master of Science in National Research Strategy.

After graduation, he served as CEO of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Hospital Five and Chief Operating Officer for Naval Hospitals in Seattle and Bremerton, Washington.

“I am excited to join the University Health team,” Snyder said. “The public purpose of this health system is vital to the region and the people it serves. I am impressed with the remarkable achievements the hospital has realized as the state’s private partner over the past three years. I intend to continue to focus on expanding the commitment to excellence and to working in a collaborative partnership with LSU to strengthen the medical school.”

“On behalf of all of North Louisiana I want to welcome Mr. Snyder to our team,” said Skrivanos. “I also want to thank Mr. Cascio for his untiring and effective leadership during the difficult times of transition from a public hospital to a private partnership and to recognize the advances made during his tenure in collaboration with our employees and the LSU physicians. Mr. Cascio will continue to provide advice and counsel to us and assist Mr. Snyder as needed to ensure a smooth leadership transition.”