Contact: Anthony de Bruyn, (512) 499-4363, or David Bates (UTHSC-H), (713) 500-3030

Date: August 13, 2003

UT System News Release

Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Accepts Executive Position at U.T. Health Science Center at Houston

AUSTIN - Dr. Michael McKinney, vice chancellor for heath affairs in The University of Texas System, has been appointed the senior executive vice president and chief operating officer at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston effective Sept. 2.

The appointment was made by Dr. James Willerson, president of the U.T. Health Science Center at Houston, in consultation with Chancellor Mark G. Yudof.

Dr. McKinney has been on loan from U.T. System at Dr. Willerson's request, assisting Dr. Willerson as the interim chief operating officer at the institution since May.

Chancellor Mark G. Yudof said: "I am very sorry to lose Mike McKinney at U.T. System, but his acceptance of the position offered by Dr. Willerson at the Health Science Center will accelerate the many positive changes at that fine institution. In his time at the U.T. System, Dr. McKinney's primary responsibilities were to work with the health campuses to improve their financial performance and to encourage them to work together to achieve economies. He performed both assignments admirably."

As chief operating officer, Dr. McKinney will continue to focus on meeting financial challenges; address organizational planning and development; achieve institutional efficiencies; advance the educational, research, and ethical mission of the Health Science Center; and build a strong clinical practice presence in the Houston area.

Dr. McKinney joined the U.T. System in 2002 after serving as chief of staff to Gov. Rick Perry. As vice chancellor, he concentrated on business management and financial issues related to the six health science institutions in the U.T. System.

Before joining the Governor's Office, Dr. McKinney served for three years in a variety of executive positions with Centene Corp., a managed care company.

As Texas commissioner of health and human services, Dr. McKinney oversaw 11 state agencies, a staff of 64,000, and a budget of $24 billion. He was appointed to that position by Gov. George W. Bush.

Dr. McKinney's other career experience includes serving as medical director of an insurance company and a health care plan; a consultant to the Texas health commissioner; a member of the Physician Payment Review Commission in the Federal Office of Technology; and a family practitioner in Pasadena and Centerville, Texas.

In the Texas House of Representatives, he represented District 15 (Leon, Madison, Grimes, Houston, and Montgomery Counties). He was speaker pro-tempore of the House from 1989 to 1990.

Dr. McKinney earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and an M.D. from the U.T. Medical Branch at Galveston.