Andrew Agwunobi facts for kids

Andrew Chuma Agwunobi, born in 1965, is an American doctor and leader. He was the main leader (called CEO) for UConn Health from 2014 to 2022. He also became the temporary president of the University of Connecticut starting in May 2021. He was the first person of color to be UConn's president.

In January 2022, Mr. Agwunobi said he would leave his roles at UConn to work for a company called Humana. He left on February 20, 2022. Radenka Maric took over as the temporary president after him.

Early Life and Learning

Andrew Agwunobi was born in Scotland in 1965. He grew up in the countryside of Scotland and in Nigeria. His father, Titus Chukwuma Agwunobi, was a surgeon from the Igbo group in Nigeria. His mother, Veronica Marie Stuart Shaw, was a nurse from Scotland. They met when his father was studying medicine. Both their families were wealthy, but they were disowned because they married someone from a different background.

Andrew Agwunobi trained to be a children's doctor. He earned his medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Jos in 1989. He finished his special training at the Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.. Later, he earned a business degree (M.B.A.) from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2001.

Career Highlights

Mr. Agwunobi has held many important jobs in healthcare. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Grady Health System in Atlanta. He also led the Tenet South Fulton Hospital in East Point. He worked for the state of Florida as the secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration. He was also the CEO of Providence Healthcare in Spokane.

He also worked as a managing director for a company called Berkeley Research Group. Before that, he was the chief operating officer for the St. Joseph Health System in California. He has also practiced medicine at places like Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.

Leading UConn Health

In November 2014, Mr. Agwunobi became the temporary CEO at UConn Health. He became the permanent CEO and executive vice president for health affairs in 2015. In this role, he was in charge of everything at UConn Health. This included the John Dempsey Hospital, the medical and dental schools, and important research. He also oversaw a business incubator and more than 5,000 employees.

During his time as CEO, UConn Health's income grew for six years in a row. He also oversaw the building of new facilities worth $800 million. He helped set up a new system for electronic health records. He also hired over 180 new faculty members.

Becoming UConn President

The previous president of UConn, Thomas C. Katsouleas, left his job. So, UConn's Board of Trustees chose Mr. Agwunobi to be the temporary president. He officially started on July 1, 2021. However, he began his duties as president right after he was chosen on May 19. He continued to be the CEO of UConn Health while also serving as president.

Mr. Agwunobi has received awards for his work. In 2020, the Hartford Business Journal named him one of Hartford's "Power 25 in Healthcare." In 2007, Modern Healthcare magazine called him one of the "50 Most Powerful Physician Executives" in the United States. The Atlanta Business League also named him CEO of the Year in 2005.

Personal Life

Andrew Agwunobi's older brother is John O. Agwunobi. He is also a children's doctor and a healthcare leader. He is currently the CEO of Herbalife Nutrition. He used to work for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Andrew Agwunobi is married to Elizabeth Nega. She is a doctor from Ethiopia who specializes in internal medicine. They met when he was doing his medical training. They have two teenage daughters named Hannah and Rebekah. Mr. Agwunobi enjoys reading classic books, learning about archaeology, and writing.