Rick Chazal
Candidate for Treasurer
Rick Chazal
Candidacy Motivation and Relevance
I am honored to be considered for the position of Treasurer of the World Heart Federation. As a clinical cardiologist with extensive administrative experience, including significant exposure to finance, it is my feeling that this office represents an opportunity to leverage my skill sets and passion in support of the advancement of WHF’s mission.
During my career, I served as the president of a $20m USD physician group with oversight responsibilities that included finance and planning. I subsequently served as the Treasurer of the Florida Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.
At the U.S. national level, I served on the Budget, Finance and Investment Committee (now called the Finance Committee), rising to chair and Treasurer of the ACC. I also served as the Chair of the Audit Committee. Eventually, I became the President of the ACC 2016-2017. In that capacity, I had extensive responsibility for oversight and leadership of an organization with an annual budget well over $120m USD.
Currently, I am the Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute for Lee Health, one of the five largest public not-for-profit healthcare systems in the U.S. In that capacity, I (with my dyad partner) help oversee processes and operations spanning four acute care adult hospitals, 58 cardiologists/CV surgeons and multiple outpatient clinics and sites.
My exposure to WHF dates back to leadership in ACC, where I/we worked to help insure the fiscal viability of the Federation, during some trying times. Since I began my tenure on the Board of WHF in 2018, I have been impressed with the great strides taken under current management and leadership. Measures have been implemented to improve the financial standing of the Federation, strengthening our position to serve patients worldwide. That sense of direction has been further fortified during my time on the WHF Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) under the leadership of Kristina Sparreljung.
It is my belief that ongoing thoughtful stewardship of WHF resources is a crucial responsibility to the member stakeholders in WHF. Further, it is a key toward the success of helping those patients whom we serve worldwide.