MultiCare CEO to retire at end of 2026, successor is named

After leading the MultiCare Health System for more than a decade, William Robertson is planning to step away.

MultiCare said Thursday that Robertson, the system’s chief executive officer, is retiring at the end of the year.

The health system has already announced his successor. Florence Chang, president of MultiCare, will take over as CEO on Jan. 1, 2027.

Based in Washington state, MultiCare operates 13 hospitals and 300 other care sites across Washington, Idaho and Oregon. MultiCare reported about $7.2 billion in revenue in the 2025 fiscal year, according to Fitch Ratings.

Robertson has served as CEO since 2014. He initially served as president and CEO for several years, but shifted to serving solely as CEO in 2022.

“The privilege of serving MultiCare and building on more than a century of community-centric service has been one of the most rewarding roles of my career,” Robertson said in a news release. “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our talented colleagues and community partners.”

Chang has served as president since 2022 and has spent two decades with the health system. She previously served as the system’s chief operating officer.

“I’m deeply grateful for the chance to carry MultiCare’s mission forward,” Chang said in a statement. “I am humbled by the MultiCare board and Bill’s confidence in me. I have spent much of my career here, and it has been a privilege to help build a health system devoted to the health and healing of the communities we serve. I step into this role with optimism for our future.”

Under Robertson’s leadership, MultiCare finalized an affiliation with the Overlake Medical Center & Clinics in Washington state. Overlake is anchored by a 349-bed hospital and it became the flagship of MultiCare’s “North Sound” region.

Multicare has invested heavily in its ambulatory care offerings in recent years. The system now operates more than 50 urgent care sites and eight off-campus emergency departments.

MultiCare is poised to potentially get bigger. Last fall, the health system announced plans to form an affiliation with Samaritan Health Services. Samaritan, based in Corvallis, Oregon, operates five hospitals and more than 100 clinics. Regulators are still reviewing the transaction but if the deal is finalized, Samaritan would become MultiCare’s first health system in Oregon.

This month, Fitch Ratings affirmed an “A+” rating for MultiCare, citing improvement in the system’s finances. Fitch expects that “MultiCare will maintain its balance sheet strength and that management will achieve stronger operations while continuing to fund strategic investments.”

MultiCare enjoys the leading market position in the Tacoma area and holds a presence in all of Washington state’s major metropolitan areas, Fitch noted in its report.

However, the system does face some challenges with its payer mix, as 70% of its patients use Medicare or Medicaid.

Robertson expressed confidence in Chang’s ability to lead MultiCare after he steps away.

“MultiCare has an unwavering commitment to its mission and the communities we serve, and I know that will not falter with the incoming leadership,” Robertson said in a statement. “Florence’s contributions to MultiCare over more than two decades have been woven deeply into this organization. I am confident in her ability, and I look forward to working alongside her through this transition.”