Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson Dies at 60: Reports

Bernard J. Tyson speaks on stage at the "Shaping the Future of Health Care: Affordability, innovation and Total Health at the Fast Company Innovation Festival - Day 2 on November 06, 2019 in New York City. Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company

Bernard Tyson, the CEO of Kaiser Permanente, died at the age of 60 on Sunday, it was reported.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce that Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, unexpectedly passed away early today in his sleep. On behalf of our Board of Directors, employees and physicians, we extend our deepest sympathies to Bernard’s family during this very difficult time,” Kaiser Permanente told Fox News.

His cause of death was not revealed by the firm.

“An outstanding leader, visionary and champion for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans, Bernard was a tireless advocate for Kaiser Permanente, our members and the communities we serve,” the company also told CNN on Sunday.

Tyson had tweeted just hours before on Saturday, writing about speaking “about how to build a better future” at an event.

California-based Kaiser Permanente is a not-for-profit hospital and health insurance firm that serves about 12 million people across eight U.S. states, CNN noted.

According to CNN, Executive Vice President and Group President Gregory Adams was named as the interim CEO and chairman of the firm.

“Bernard was an exceptional colleague, a passionate leader, and an honorable man. We will greatly miss him,” said board member Edward Pei, reported SFGate. “The board has full confidence in Greg Adams’ ability to lead Kaiser Permanente through this unexpected transition.”

In 2013, he became the CEO of Kaiser Permanente, and during his tenure, he grew revenue from $53 billion to more than $80 billion and earned about $10 million in compensation, according to Fox News.

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California, in a file photo. Google Street View

When he took over, spoke to The New York Times about his upbringing: “I grew up in a large family, with two brothers and four sisters. My father was a carpenter and a minister, so I grew up in a very religious environment. Telling stories is a big part of my communication style.”

He then said, “The second thing is, I am a man of my word. My father set an example that your word is your bond, and that if you say something and commit to it, you deliver on it. And if you can’t deliver on it, you owe the person the respect to explain why. Commitments to me are very important, and it doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. It means that you live by your word.”