OhioHealth president/CEO to speak at Heritage College’s 2022 Commencement

Health care executive, family physician and military leader Stephen E. Markovich, M.D., will be the speaker for the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s 2022 Commencement, set for 10 a.m. May 7 at the Convocation Center in Athens.  

Markovich became president and chief executive officer of OhioHealth in July 2019. A large and respected nonprofit health care system serving central Ohio, OhioHealth has long provided training opportunities for Heritage College students and residents and serves as the college’s pre-eminent education partner for its Dublin, Ohio, campus. 

Ohio University President Hugh Sherman, Ph.D., said the college’s relationship with OhioHealth brings great value to both parties.

“OhioHealth is a vitally important community partner that provides essential healthcare services to our students, faculty, staff and community, and it is a valued partner for Ohio University in countless ways. Our Heritage College graduates – many of whom have done rotations in OhioHealth facilities – will benefit greatly from the insights of an industry leader like Dr. Markovich,” he said. 

Ken Johnson, D.O., Heritage College executive dean and Ohio University chief medical affairs officer, said he looks forward to hearing Markovich’s remarks.

“We’re privileged to have Dr. Markovich as the speaker at our 2022 Commencement,” Johnson said. “He brings a wealth of experience in delivering top-quality health care and a deep understanding of our college’s mission, based on the long-standing partnership between our two institutions.” 

In addition to his role as health care executive, Markovich has served as major general (now retired) and commander in Ohio’s Air National Guard, focusing on strategic planning, force development and development of future missions. He has served as the Guard’s chief of staff, state air surgeon and senior medical officer; logged more than 2,000 flying hours as a fighter pilot; completed three overseas deployments to the Middle East; and led the development of a task force to respond to medical disasters in Ohio. 

Markovich earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Wright State University in Dayton. Board certified in family medicine, he earned his Doctor of Medicine in 1993, graduating magna cum laude from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, then completing his residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital, which is now part of OhioHealth. He has practiced as a family and emergency physician at Riverside Methodist and taught as a clinical assistant professor in Ohio State University’s Department of Family Medicine.  

Markovich held a number of positions with Riverside Methodist before and after the development of OhioHealth as a health care system, including president, chief operating officer, vice president of clinical services, associate medical director, and associate and assistant director of its family practice residency program. Most recently, he served as senior vice president for acute care operations, overseeing OhioHealth’s central and regional hospital operations, home care, nursing, inpatient case management, trauma leadership, shared support services, transfer center, and safety and security. 

He is also an author and national speaker and serves on the Columbus Partnership, the Columbus Downtown Development Commission, the board of the National Veteran’s Memorial Museum, the Columbus Symphony, the Central Ohio Hospital Council and the Ohio Hospital Association. He has been recognized as one of Columbus’ most influential leaders by Columbus Business First.