St. John’s Clinic President Dr. Walt Gaska announces transition plans

Plastic surgeon and St. John’s Clinic President Walter J. Gaska, M.D., in May announced plans to transition from his role as St. John’s Clinic Springfield Division president to a president emeritus role.

Having served since 1999 as Springfield Division president, Dr. Gaska decided the time was right to begin the transition and urged the St. John’s Clinic board of directors to begin searching for his successor. Dr. Gaska hopes to be in his new role by the end of the year and plans to slowly phase out of his plastic surgery clinical practice over the next few years.

Dr. Gaska, David Barbe, M.D., (Regional Division) and Randall Huss, M.D., (Rolla Division) are the three presidents currently serving St. John’s Clinic.

As St. John’s Clinic president emeritus, Dr. Gaska will continue to be an ambassador for St. John’s Health System, assist with physician recruiting, marketing and fundraising activities and serve as a senior adviser to St. John’s Clinic leadership.

Dr. Gaska’s work to restructure St. John’s Clinic has helped the organization grow into a nationally recognized, multispecialty group that is part of the nation’s No. 1 integrated health system.
St. John’s Clinic and St. John’s Health System boards will begin a formal search process for Dr. Gaska’s successor immediately.