Clarkson Regional Health Services Announces Leadership Transition as Nonprofit Continues Mission to Develop, Support Nebraska Healthcare Initiatives
Dr. Jim Canedy Retires as CEO; Dr. Bill Lydiatt and Torri Criger Assume Leadership
February 18, 2025
Omaha, NE — Clarkson Regional Health Services (CRHS), a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to improving access to high-quality, low-cost healthcare throughout Nebraska and Western Iowa, recently announced a planned transition of leadership within the organization. Jim Canedy, MD, FACHE, has retired from his role of President and CEO. CRHS is pleased to announce that Bill Lydiatt, MD, EMBA will lead the nonprofit organization going forward as CEO and Torri Criger, JD, has been named President, also maintaining her current role of General Counsel.
“Jim’s humanity, curiosity, and strategic vision has left an indelible mark on Clarkson Regional Health Services,” said Jim Landen, Board Chair of Clarkson Regional Health Services and Chairman of Security National Bank. “We have been fortunate to have him as a leader during this last quarter of a century of both advances and challenges in the healthcare landscape, shaping CRHS into a strong and influential voice to improve health care regionally. Identifying a successor who could build on Jim’s legacy was no small task, but the Board is confident that Bill Lydiatt and Torri Criger will successfully guide CRHS into its next chapter in our mission and is pleased that Jim will continue serving as a trusted advisor to them.”
Over his 26-year career at the helm of CRHS, Dr. Jim Canedy, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, guided the organization through periods of significant change and transformation. Canedy’s leadership of CRHS began in 1997 following the initial merger of clinical operations between Clarkson Hospital and the University Hospital to form what is now known as Nebraska Medicine. Thanks to Canedy’s passion for the organization’s mission and his commitment to improving the quality and value of healthcare, during his tenure, CRHS launched a number of initiatives and programs, developed strong partnerships, and distributed more than $120 million in grants and donations to other nonprofit organizations. In addition to practicing medicine and leading CRHS, Canedy also served on multiple business and philanthropic boards, including those of Nebraska Medicine, Nebraska Health Partners, Nebraska Health Network, Clarkson College, and the Clarkson Family Medicine Advisory Committee.
“I am humbled and grateful to have had the opportunity and privilege to serve Clarkson Regional Health Services as President and CEO over these past 26 years,” said Jim Canedy. “The work of CRHS is truly the work of generations, and I’m proud to have played a part in leading this storied organization that itself exists to serve the community. Due to the collective efforts of the board, senior leadership, and staff, I know that CRHS is well-positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges ahead. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Board of Directors and assisting with the leadership transition.”
While turning over day-to-day and strategic leadership responsibilities of the organization to Lydiatt and Criger, Canedy will join the Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chair, supporting and advising the initiatives and philanthropic direction of this new generation of leadership.
“Jim Canedy’s tenure will be remembered as forward-thinking and transformational in CRHS’s more than 150-year history. I have long admired his kind temperament, expertise in population health efforts, and experience in the business community, and greatly appreciate his continuing mentorship in developing the healthcare leaders of the future,” said Bill Lydiatt, MD, EMBA, CEO of Clarkson Regional Health Services. “I am truly honored to be trusted to carry out the modern mission of Clarkson Regional Health Services, the roots of which trace back to the founding of Omaha’s first hospital.”
About Bill Lydiatt, MD, EMBA
Dr. Bill Lydiatt’s breadth of experience and leadership in local and national organizations gives him a keen insight and a diverse toolkit for addressing the challenges healthcare in Nebraska faces in the coming years. Lydiatt brings more than 35 years of experience in practicing medicine with a focus on head and neck surgery and a longstanding interest in the prevention of depression in patients with head and neck cancers. Over this time and his more than 150 publications on the topic, he has come to be regarded as a sought-after, international expert. He is Professor of Surgery at Creighton University, Clinical Professor of Surgery at UNMC, and is the former Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs, VP of Surgical Services, and Chair of Surgery at Nebraska Methodist Hospital. Additionally, he is President of the American Head and Neck Society, Chair of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 9th Edition Head and Neck Staging panel, and a member of the AJCC Editorial Board.
About Torri Criger, JD
As President of Clarkson Regional Health Services, Criger is responsible for the operational management of the organization. Criger also serves as the organization’s general counsel, a role she has held since joining CRHS in 2022. Criger graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law and practiced as an attorney in Omaha for more than 15 years. Prior to joining CRHS, she was a partner at law firm Kutak Rock, where she focused her practice on healthcare and corporate matters.