Contact: Nicole Napoli, nnapoli@acc.org, 202-375-6523

WASHINGTON (Jan 03, 2018) -

American College of Cardiology Chief Executive Officer, Shalom “Shal” Jacobovitz will be leaving the College effective February 2, 2018, to lead CiVi Biopharma, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company. Cathy Gates, ACC chief operating officer and executive vice president, will serve as interim CEO.

“There is no doubt that Shal is leaving a legacy that will continue to benefit the College well into the future,” said Mary Norine Walsh, MD, FACC, ACC president and chair of the Board of Trustees. “While he will be missed, his leadership over the last several years has ensured the ACC’s overall financial health, operational effectiveness and strategic direction are aligned to meet the needs of our members around the globe.”

Jacobovitz was hired in 2013 to leverage the organizational strengths of the College and to take advantage of opportunities associated with the changing health care environment. Since then, Jacobovitz has helped transform the College into a more nimble, strategic, innovative and accountable organization committed to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health. Specifically, he has built a culture of staff empowerment and played a key role in working with ACC leaders to transform the College’s governance structure and processes; foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning; and ensure alignment of programs and resources with the College’s strategic plan. Under his leadership the ACC has been recognized among the best places to work by Modern Healthcare. 

“It has been a privilege to lead the ACC over the last nearly five years,” Jacobovitz said. “I’m proud of what the College has accomplished during this time and I have no doubt that the Board of Trustees, working with Cathy and the rest of the College’s dedicated staff, will continue to work toward actualizing the vision of a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes.”

The ACC will undertake a nationwide search for its next CEO. In the meantime, the BOT has appointed Gates as interim CEO.

“With 27 years with the College, the Board and I have the utmost confidence that Cathy will continue to move the College forward,” Walsh said.

The American College of Cardiology is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College and its more than 52,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more, visit acc.org.

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