NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., June 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matthew E. Cox officially assumed the role of National Chair of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) during an induction ceremony at the association’s annual conference. His term was effective June 1, 2026.
Cox, FHFMA, CPA, Executive Vice President and CFO of Corewell Health based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, leads the system’s finance team with a focus on making care and coverage affordable while ensuring the financial integrity of the system and its divisions. He has extensive experience in healthcare financial leadership at major healthcare systems.
Beyond his professional role, Cox has served on boards of directors and finance committees, including board positions at the President Gerald R. Ford Field Service Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Covenant House Michigan and the advisory board of Buell Motorcycles.
“Matt brings a rare combination of financial expertise, strategic vision and deep commitment to advancing affordable, equitable healthcare,” said C. Ann Jordan, J.D., president and CEO of HFMA. “He has demonstrated a steadfast focus on improving access, quality and financial sustainability across the healthcare system. His leadership experience, passion for HFMA’s mission and dedication to supporting healthcare leaders nationwide make him exceptionally well suited to serve as HFMA’s next chair.”
As HFMA’s National Chair, Cox will focus on collaboration and strengthening the HFMA community to tackle healthcare’s most challenging issues.
“I’m honored to serve as HFMA Chair at such a pivotal time for healthcare,” Cox said. “The challenges facing our industry — from affordability and workforce transformation to digital innovation — are too complex for any organization to solve alone. HFMA has always been a trusted community where leaders come together to share knowledge, learn from one another and advance healthcare finance. I look forward to helping strengthen those connections and fostering the collaboration and innovation our industry needs to create a more sustainable, equitable future for healthcare.”
Other new HFMA Board officers for 2026-27 include:
- Chair-elect Marcus Whitney, CHFP, is co-founder and CEO of Jumpstart Health in Nashville, the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital fund in the nation. An author and thought leader, Whitney brings experience in innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic investments.
- Secretary-Treasurer Scott R. Hawig, CPA, CMA, MBA, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at BJC Health System, where he leads across major integrated delivery systems, academic medical centers and healthcare organizations. Hawig is a current HFMA Board Director and long-time member who brings experience in strategic planning and financial oversight.
Additionally, four newly elected members joined the HFMA Board for a three-year term ending in 2029:
- Ash Shehata is Managing Director at Impact Advisors, a healthcare services firm that is part of PE firm Chicago Pacific Founders. Prior to that, Shehata served as the U.S. leader for healthcare at KPMG. He brings more than 30 years of experience driving innovation and transformation across the healthcare ecosystem, from Fortune 500 firms to technology leaders.
- Michele Napier, FHFMA, CHFP, FACHE, is Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer for Orlando Health, where she oversees $7 billion in patient revenue across 21 hospitals, and 3,500 physicians and clinicians. She brings more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning revenue cycle, managed care, population health and financial operations.
- Kevin Smith is CFO of SSM Health, where he leads the direction, strategy and oversight of financial services across SSM Health’s four-state system. His responsibilities include long-term financial positioning, operational finance, financial and regulatory reporting, revenue cycle management, internal audit, financial planning, supply chain, and operating and capital budgeting.
- Jeremy Friese, MD, is Founder, Chairman and CEO of Humata Health, a company backed by more than 40 hospitals and major payers including BCBS and Optum. Humata is dedicated to transforming prior authorization through advanced technology and clinical intelligence. He is a physician-entrepreneur focused on healthcare innovation and payer-provider collaboration.
For more information about HFMA and its initiatives, please visit www.hfma.org.
About HFMA
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) equips its more than 145,000 members to navigate a complex healthcare landscape. Finance professionals in the full range of work settings, including hospitals, health systems, physician practices and health plans, trust HFMA to provide the guidance and tools to help them lead their organizations, and the industry, forward. HFMA is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization that advances healthcare by collaborating with other key stakeholders to address industry challenges and providing guidance, education, practical tools and solutions, and thought leadership. We lead the financial management of healthcare.
Press inquiries should be directed to:
Brad Dennison,
Healthcare Financial Management Association
bdennison@hfma.org
