Bradley?s Been Around

Bill Bradley, Northwest Health System’s CEO, earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1975 from the University of Arkansas. The North Little Rock native then served in the United States Air Force for more than four years, achieving the rank of captain. While in the service, he earned a master’s in management.

He moved to Tulsa in 1980, where he worked for City Service Oil Co. as a method’s analyst. Bradley said a year later a management engineering position at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa intrigued him. Sister M.Therse Gottschalk, St. John’s CEO, became Bradley’s mentor and prompted him to begin a 20-year career in hospital administration.

She said she’s proud of Bradley’s achievements and honored he mentioned her as an influence.

Bradley left St. John in 1984 for Kansas City where he worked for Pete Marwick’s prominent accounting firm as a health care operations consultant. In 1986, he became chief operating officer of what is now Three Rivers Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. In one year, Bradley became CEO.

Eight years later he became CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in Russellville. He gained additional responsibilities over other hospitals in Arkansas that are owned by American Medical International. A year later he became senior vice president for Tenant Health Care in Little Rock where he was a regional director for the chain in charge of 20 hospitals in five states.

After another six years of fairly heavy travel, he sought the job in Springdale.

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