CIHI announces John Wright as new CEO

OTTAWA , Oct. 22 /CNW Telbec/ - The Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is pleased to announce that, after a comprehensive search process, John Wright has been selected as our new president and CEO at CIHI, effective January 1, 2010 .

Mr. Wright comes to CIHI with more than 30 years of public-sector experience, including as deputy minister of Health and deputy minister of Finance for the Government of Saskatchewan. He also served as president and CEO of several crown agencies in that province, including SaskPower, Crown Investments Corporation and Saskatchewan Government Insurance. He is presently a lecturer in economics at the University of Regina.

" John Wright brings with him the experience and talent that will help CIHI continue to fulfill its mandate of providing essential data and analysis on Canada's health system and the health of Canadians," says Graham W. S. Scott, C.M., Q.C., Chair of the Board at CIHI. "Under his leadership, CIHI will strive to keep building on its world-wide reputation as a premiere source of accurate, comparable and timely health information for the benefit of all Canadians."

Mr. Wright has served on the boards of governors for the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. He holds a master's degree in economics from the University of Alberta and an honours bachelor of economics from the University of Western Ontario.

About CIHI

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) collects and analyzes information on health and health care in Canada and makes it publicly available. Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments created CIHI as a not-for-profit, independent organization dedicated to forging a common approach to Canadian health information. CIHI's goal: to provide timely, accurate and comparable information. CIHI's data and reports inform health policies, support the effective delivery of health services and raise awareness among Canadians of the factors that contribute to good health.

For further information: Media contacts: Angela Baker, [phone], Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Tonya Johnson, [phone], Cell: [phone], [email protected]