Allina Health’s Penny Wheeler Appears on One Take CEO Interviews; Talks Candidly About Leading During Covid-19, Riots and an Uncertain Economy

MINNEAPOLIS, July 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — During this week’s One Take CEO Interview sponsored by Platinum Group, President and CEO Penny Wheeler discusses how she’s leading $4.4 billion health care provider Allina Health during Covid-19, how it survived fires and looting last month that damaged or destroyed most neighboring properties, and how she and her employees look to effect meaningful change while facing an unpredictable future.

Allina invested more than $100 million to prepare for Covid-19 patients and went to more than 500 sources to find the personal protective equipment needed to ensure the safety of its employees and patients. It coped with unprecedented losses—at one point up to $3 million a day—as scheduled surgeries were cancelled or postponed to ensure capacity for Covid-19 patients. Then George Floyd was murdered only a few blocks away from its headquarters, largest hospital (Abbott Northwestern) and warehouse containing all of its personal protective equipment.

Wheeler explains how Allina kept those assets, its patients and its employees safe during the social unrest that followed Floyd’s killing, while also supporting employees who were part of related peaceful protests. “As you go down [Lake Street today], you still shed tears for what destruction has occurred. But it reminds us of what we have to accomplish… The murder of George Floyd exposed with eyes wider opened that we have a racial pandemic in addition to a Covid pandemic in this country.”

The interview includes how Allina is addressing this pandemic as well as Covid-19, how Wheeler is leading 28,896 employees through such rapidly changing times, and how yet to be dealt with is an anticipated $250 million loss for 2020. It is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and can be viewed on YouTube.

This is the seventh in a series of one-take, unedited conversations between former Twin Cities Business Editor in Chief Dale Kurschner and Minnesota CEOs regarding how they’re leading during the Covid-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impact on their operations, and the economy. Summaries of each are available at MNperspectives.com, and all are available for free via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

One Take CEO Interviews are sponsored by Platinum Group, Minnesota’s most experienced advisory helping business owners and leaders with extreme challenges including financial setbacks, leadership transitions, turnarounds, bankruptcies and crises. Kurschner is one of its consultants.

Contact:
Dale Kurschner
763-567-9241

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SOURCE One Take CEO Interviews