After 37 years at Cottage Health, including 24 years as President and CEO, Ron Werft has announced his retirement plans for 2025.
“On behalf of Cottage Health’s Board, we thank Mr. Werft for his many contributions that will continue to benefit this community for generations. He is a skilled and compassionate leader with extraordinary vision and understanding of health care,” said Steve Zola, chair of the Cottage Health Board of Directors.
Cottage Health, formed in 1996, is the not-for-profit parent organization of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and affiliated institutions, including Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, and Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital.
Under Mr. Werft’s leadership, Cottage Health has grown into a regional healthcare system. It now offers specialties in trauma care, neurosciences, cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, psychiatry, and other services.
Werft oversaw the construction of a new Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a 20-year project completed while maintaining continuous patient care. Additionally, a new Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital was built, and plans are underway to relocate Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital to the Goleta campus. Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital has also expanded its services and received national recognition as a critical access hospital. The Cottage Center for Population Health and Cottage Health Research Institute were created, and partnerships with local colleges were established to support nursing and other health professionals.
During his tenure, Cottage expanded outpatient services and clinics to increase access to care. With a $65 million gift from Mary and Richard Compton, the Compton Center for Medical Excellence and Innovation was envisioned to advance healthcare in the region. Werft fostered a culture of shared governance and core values of excellence, integrity, and compassion, improving care quality, patient experience, and employee engagement.
Before joining Cottage Health, Werft held leadership roles at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and earned a Master’s in Hospital and Health Care Administration from the University of Minnesota. His volunteer leadership includes trustee roles with the American Hospital Association, chair positions at AHA’s Region 9 Policy Board, California Hospital Association, and Hospital Association of Southern California. He has served on boards including Santa Barbara Partners in Education, CenCal, Santa Barbara Fighting Back Coalition, Vizient West Coast, United Way, and World Telehealth Initiative. He received the 2013 CHA Award of Merit and the 2015 Walker-Sullivan Fellowship.
“The opportunity to lead Cottage Health has been and continues to be a joy, privilege, and honor,” said Werft. “Cottage is an extraordinary organization, and every day I see why – it’s an incredible team of employees, physicians, executives, board members, donors, and volunteers who are always working to make Cottage even better. They carry forward Cottage’s 132-year legacy of caring in our community.”
Cottage Health will begin a national search for Werft’s successor to continue his strong stewardship of the community’s independent, not-for-profit healthcare system, committed to quality, patient-centered care, and improving health throughout the region.
