From nursing to business to medical center CEO

Robert Pastor, a 1996 HFC alumnus, was originally unsure of what he wanted to do, but was leaning toward becoming a physician.

“At the time, I was hoping to go on to medical school. I thought nursing would give me a taste of the healthcare field and ensure it was a good fit for me, before I invested eight years in my education,” explained Pastor, a Dearborn native, who begins his new position as the CEO of Rainy Lake Medical Center (RLMC) in International Falls, MN on Sept. 3.

He continued: “I also thought a two-year nursing degree would provide me a decent income and allow me to be self-supporting. I planned to start out in nursing, explore different areas, and see if I could find my niche.”

Pastor – who earned his associate degree in nursing from HFC, where he was the vice-president of the Student Nurses Association (SNA) – quickly learned that he belonged in the healthcare field. As a nurse, not as a physician.

“Nursing is a very progressive field," he said. "Like Ben Stiller said in Meet the Parents, nursing can offer you a lot more opportunities than medicine typically does,” said Pastor. “I come from a blue-collar family. My grandfather was a very blue-collar man who encouraged me to go into nursing because of its many opportunities and the fact that nurses will always be needed. You’ll always be able to get a job as a nurse, he told me.”

“Purely by accident”

Pastor began his nursing career at Oakwood Health System (now Beaumont Health). At Oakwood’s Skilled Nursing Center, Pastor had been a nurse for two years when one night, the nursing supervisor was absent. Pastor became the de facto health supervisor for that shift. Several staff members, including the Director of Nursing (DON), were impressed with his quick thinking and decisive leadership skills, and he was promoted to the supervisor position. Pastor continued to advance in the organization, eventually becoming the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON).

“I got into leadership purely by accident,” said Pastor. “At the time, I was pretty sure I was going to transfer to the acute care hospital to eventually work in the ICU, which would have allowed me to apply to anesthesia school. However, the opportunity to be a leader really changed my mind about what I wanted to do. It ended up being my true calling.”

Pastor went on to earn his bachelor's degree in business management from Cleary University in 2001. In 2005, he earned his MBA from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa, TX. He continues to be a registered nurse and a Green Belt in Six Sigma. He earned his fellow certification from the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) – the highest certification in healthcare administration.

“I decided to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration and not in nursing because I needed to know more about the management and leadership side of the field. I already knew the patient care side, so I focused on the business side,” he explained.

After six years with Oakwood, Pastor took a job as Director of Medical, Surgical, and Pediatrics at Scenic Mountain Center in Big Spring, TX for three years. His Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at the time, Bonnie Pratt, hired Pastor because of his business degree. He then went to River Region Medical Center (now called Merit Health River Region) in Vicksburg, MS, as Director of Medical/Surgical Oncology. Pastor had the opportunity to work under Pratt once again.

“To this day, I still consider Bonnie one of my greatest mentors,” said Pastor. “She was an inspiration to me and very instrumental in my career growth.”

From there, Pastor went on to become the Director of Hospital Nursing Services at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, MN. There he met Andrea, his wife of seven years with whom he has two children, Jack, 3, and Everly, 1 month.

From CCO to CEO

For the past 6 years, Pastor has been the Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) for Southwest Health in Platteville, WI, where he has worked for CEO Dan Rohrbach. Pastor is responsible for the direction and management of all patient care service areas, including radiology, laboratory, rehabilitation services, EMS, pharmacy, risk management, performance improvement/quality care management, diabetes education, all organization nursing service departments, behavioral health services, and inpatient behavioral health.

“Dan Rohrbach is the best CEO that I have ever worked for," said Pastor. "He’s a strong leader who pushes everyone to be the best that they can be. We have had significant success under his and our governing board’s leadership, which resulted in our net revenue more than doubling in less than five years. Dan also gave me the opportunity to get the experience I needed to become a CEO. Great success always creates great opportunities.”

Rohrbach is pleased about Pastor's new opportunity.

“Robb has been an integral part of our success over the past 6 years at Southwest Health," he said. "During that time with us, he honed his leadership skills and is fully prepared to be a highly effective CEO. All of us at Southwest Health wish him and his family all the best in Minnesota.”

Pastor assumes his new job at RLMC in early September. He will succeed CEO Bonne Erickson, who retires at the end of August after a 43-year career.

Hub of the community

“I’m eager to get started,” said Pastor. “In rural areas, the hospital is the hub – if not the pillar – of the community. At a rural hospital, you really get to know all of your employees and the patients. There’s a deep connection to the community. RLMC’s Board of Directors and their executive leadership team impressed me with their dedication to their mission. RLMC has been a really good organization and provided great services over the years. I’m looking forward to working with the team to develop a vision of how we can take the organization to the next level.”

Sometimes, a circuitous path leads to the right places.

“Maybe it happened by chance, but I wouldn’t change a thing about how my career has progressed,” said Pastor. “I have had a lot of opportunities to work with some amazing people all over the country. We’re all working to provide the safest, high quality care to our patients. And we’re making a difference in the community – that’s the best part of this job. That’s why I love healthcare. I really can’t see myself doing anything else.”