With more than 24 years of global experience in the luxury hospitality industry, Gerard van Grinsven was asked to bring his innovative approaches and expertise in service excellence to the world of healthcare. In 2006, he was named president and chief executive of 300-bed, $360 million Henry Ford West Bloomfield. Prior to joining Henry Ford, he served as vice president and area general manager for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in Dearborn and as vice president and area general manager of The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Cleveland, St. Louis, and Philadelphia.

Gerard's vision is for Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, which opened in March 2009, to be embraced as both a community center for well-being and a hospital. In addition to state-of-the-art equipment and the best clinical practices, the hospital features a wellness center, a healthy restaurant and other unique features including a pond and landscaped courtyards that contribute to a healing environment. The hospital will break ground in 2011 on a greenhouse and education center that will teach the community sustainable and organic farming techniques and promote healthy eating habits. It will provide therapy to patients, partner with area schools and be incorporated into Henry's and inpatient room service.

Van Grinsven's approach focuses on a passion for service, a total commitment to creating an environment of excellence, and building successful relationshipswith the community, patients, and employees.

During his career he has opened 20 Ritz-Carlton properties worldwide. He was a key member of the team responsible for the company winning the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1999. He also executed The Ritz-Carlton Re-Born project, which resulted in The Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn being the #1 hotel in the company for improved guest and employee satisfaction scores. Van Grinsven also has served on the HFHS Western Wayne/Downriver Board of Trustees.

Van Grinsven holds a bachelor of arts degree in Hotel Management from The Hotel Management School, Maastricht, The Netherlands. He is a former board member of the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Michigan Kidney Foundation. In 2003, he was named as one of the "100 Emerging Business Leaders" by the Detroit Regional Chamber.

Business Leadership, Healthcare Innovation, Business,