Article
The announcement
On March 4, the Massachusetts system said Tabb, who has led it and its predecessor organizations for more than 14 years, plans to step down in about a year. The board expects the search for a successor to take eight to 10 months and will consider internal and external candidates. Board chair Ann-Ellen Hornidge is co-leading the search. Tabb told WBUR he chose this moment because the system is on stable financial footing with a clear plan.
BILH is the state’s second-largest system, with 14 hospitals, about 42,000 employees and roughly 1.7 million patients a year. It is also partway through a major strategic commitment: a freestanding inpatient cancer hospital with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, estimated at $1.68 billion and expected to open in 2031.
What other boards can take from it
Many CEO transitions are compressed by a sudden exit or a short notice period. A planned handoff of roughly a year gives a board options that a 90-day notice does not.
- Time to define the job. The next CEO’s priorities should drive the profile. For a system with a large capital project and a merger history, that may mean weighting partnership management and capital discipline heavily.
- A fair look at internal candidates. A longer window lets the board watch internal contenders in expanded roles before deciding.
- Continuity on major commitments. Partners, bondholders and regulators want to know long-term projects are not tied to one person. Be explicit about who owns each commitment during the transition.
- A defined role for the outgoing CEO. Agree in writing on what the incumbent will and will not decide once a successor is named, so the organization does not drift.
Questions for your board
Does your board have both an emergency and a planned succession plan for the CEO and other top roles? When did it last assess internal candidates? Would a search today take longer than the notice your CEO is likely to give? Who would act as interim leader on short notice? If the answers are unclear, put succession on the next governance committee agenda.
Archive entry for Mar 4, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.