Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Ochsner Health System, named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2019 Gulf Coast Award Winner
HOUSTON– Ernst & Young (EY) today announced that Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Ochsner Health System, Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic healthcare system, received the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2019 Award in the Healthcare & Related Services category in the Gulf Coast Area. The award recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities, while also transforming our world. Thomas was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a special gala event on June 21 at the Marriott Marquis Houston.
With emerging technology and the shift to healthcare consumerism, Ochsner created an innovation lab, innovationOchsner, or iO, which functions like a start-up that is embedded within the organization. With different goals and an operating structure to really embody an entrepreneurial culture, iO focuses on solving some of healthcare’s most pressing problems. It creates new value by using technology and data to deliver personalized, patient-centered solutions to empower people to live their healthiest, best lives.
Whether it’s tackling chronic disease through digital medicine programs or utilizing artificial intelligence to deploy a predictive model that augments existing early warning signs to proactively eliminate adverse events in advance of a potential event in real time, iO and Ochsner remain committed to innovations that improve quality, access and convenience with extraordinary results.
“Ochsner is a growing organization that has been an entrepreneur in building new innovations and technologies that are changing the way we are delivering healthcare. This would not be possible without the amazing people who drive this every single day,” said Thomas. “We are proud to place New Orleans and Louisiana on the map for digital health through iO and will continue to work hard to change the lives of those across the country.”
Since 1986, EY has honored entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation and discipline have driven their companies’ success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities. Now in its 33rd year, the program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as:
- Howard Schultz of Starbucks Corporation
- Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc.
- Jodi Berg of Vitamix
- Robert Unanue of Goya Foods
- Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
- Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani
- Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
- Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks
- James Park of Fitbit
- J.W. “Bill” Marriott, Jr. of Marriott International, Inc.
- Lonnie Moulder and Mary Lynne Hedley, PhD, of TESARO, Inc.
As a Gulf Coast Area award winner, Thomas is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 National Awards. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 16, 2019. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
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Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
In the Gulf Coast Area, sponsors also include Colliers International, Dawson Financial Services, DLA Piper, ADP, Solomon Edwards, Chatham Financial, Pierpont Communications and the Houston Business Journal.
About Ochsner Health System
Ochsner Health is Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic, healthcare system. Driven by a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, coordinated clinical and hospital patient care is provided across the region by Ochsner's 40 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and specialty hospitals, and more than 100 health centers and urgent care centers. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 70 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs nearly 25,000 employees and over 4,500 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts more than 700 clinical research studies. Ochsner Health is proud to be a tobacco-free environment. For more information, please visit ochsner.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Entrepreneur Of The Year®, founded by EY, is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs. The program makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global awards program of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries. ey.com/eoy
About EY’s Growth Markets Network
EY’s worldwide Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped many of the world’s most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international mid-cap companies or early stage, venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/gmor follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.
About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
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