Dr. Gene Ma Named Interim President and CEO of TCHD

Tri-City Healthcare District (TCHD) announced the appointment of Dr. Gene Ma as interim President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization effective March 22, 2023.

“I am pleased to announce that the board of directors unanimously selected Dr. Ma for this very important role,” said Rocky Chavez, chairperson of TCHD’s seven-member publicly-elected board of directors.

“Dr. Ma is a proven leader with more than two decades of service to the medical center.”

Dr. Ma currently serves as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for TCHD, a role he has held since 2019.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by the board’s expression of confidence in my ability to provide stability at this moment in time,” stated Dr. Ma. “Despite unimaginable challenges in healthcare over the last few years, we have accomplished so much during Mr. Dietlin’s tenure, yet what truly excites me are the opportunities ahead of us in Tri-City’s future.” An emergency department physician at Tri-City for over 20 years and a 10-time honoree as one of San Diego's Top Doctors in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Ma has served in numerous administrative roles within Tri-City, including as the chief of staff, a role which he held from 2015-2017.

Current President and CEO Steve Dietlin, who has served in the organization’s top leadership position since 2016, announced his retirement in December 2022. His last day was March 21, 2023.

The TCHD board of directors has engaged HealthSearch Partners, an executive search firm out of Dallas, Texas, to aid in a national search for a permanent President and CEO for the District.