At a special gathering in Mitten Hall on December 16, Temple Health and Temple University leadership and elected officials, friends, and family celebrated the transformative impact and legacy of Michael A. Young, MHA, FACHE, who will retire as President & CEO of Temple Health on January 2, 2026.
Temple Health’s President & CEO Michael A. Young addresses attendees at the celebration.
“Since arriving here in 2018, Mike has spearheaded an incredible transformation for Temple Health,” said Temple University President John Fry. “It’s not hyperbole when I say that Temple Health is the strongest it has ever been—and its future has never been brighter.”
Temple University President John Fry.
“Temple Health is different because of Mike,” said Abhi Rastogi, MBA, MIS, Chief Operating Officer & EVP of Temple Health, who will lead the Health System after Young’s retirement. “And it’s going to stay different because of what we learned from him. We’re going to keep putting patients and quality first. We’re going to keep making smart moves: staying financially disciplined, investing in our people, and expanding our reach without compromising on care delivery.”
Abhi Rastogi, Chief Operating Officer and EVP of Temple Health.
In recognition of Young’s remarkable accomplishments, President Fry awarded him an honorary doctorate from Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health. Young was hooded by Lon Greenberg, member of the Temple University Board of Trustees and longtime Chair of Temple Health’s Board of Directors.
Young and President Fry with the former’s honorary doctorate.
Honoring an Exceptional Career
Even before arriving at Temple, Young’s list of achievements was miles-long, earning respect across the healthcare industry and in the communities he served.
“I remember interviewing Mike and being in awe of his accomplishments,” said Amy J. Goldberg, MD, FACS, The Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
Those included working his way up to Vice President of Shadyside Hospital after starting as an intern, and becoming CEO of Lancaster General—where he built a new hospital for women and babies—at 33. Erie County Medical Center had its first-ever positive bottom line the year Young took over, and the turnaround he led at Grady Memorial saved Georgia’s largest public hospital. He was also the architect of an expansion strategy at Pinnacle that included four hospital acquisitions, constructing a new hospital, and an affiliation with UPMC.
Dr. Amy J. Goldberg, The Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine.
“Long before I knew who Mike was, I knew of him—as the man who saved Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta’s only Level I Trauma Center,” Dean Goldberg said. “When I heard that man was coming to Temple, I was grateful beyond words, because I knew exactly what that meant.”
In honor of his exceptional career, Pennsylvania State Senator Christine Tartaglione presented Young with a special proclamation from the State Senate recognizing his accomplishments.
Temple’s Transformation
Young’s seven years at Temple have transformed the health system and laid the groundwork for its continued success.
“During his tenure at Temple, the health system’s revenue nearly doubled, profitability significantly improved, and the organization grew organically and by acquisition,” Greenberg said. “Most importantly, that growth didn’t come at the expense of our mission, our high-quality medical care, or our dedication to patient safety. We’re indebted to him for showing us that hard work, accountability, and commitment to excellence and success is not inconsistent with integrity, mission, and good will.”
Lon Greenberg, member of the Temple University Board of Trustees and Chair of Temple Health’s Board of Directors.
“Under Mike’s leadership, Fox Chase Cancer Center has tripled its size, doubled its number of access locations, and achieved its highest-ever NCI Core Grant score,” said Rastogi. “We’ve brought Chestnut Hill Hospital back to life and expanded into new markets. During COVID, Temple had some of the nation’s best patient outcomes. And—in what might be Mike’s most personal achievement—we’ve opened Philadelphia’s only dedicated maternity hospital, Temple Women & Families.”
As Young was the driving force behind Temple Women & Families Hospital, and he and his wife Karen provided generous support for the project, Rastogi announced that “the Labor & Delivery floor at Temple Women & Families will now be known as the Karen and Michael A. Young Labor & Delivery Unit.”
President Fry also presented Young with an owl statuette: part of a new tradition for departing Temple leaders, and a reflection of how closely the two men have worked to advance Temple’s shared mission.
A Legacy of Mentorship
As they celebrated his achievements, the speakers also emphasized how much Young valued people: both the patients he served and the leaders he mentored.
“Mike didn’t just invest in Temple. He invested in people, and I’m one of them,” Dr. Goldberg shared. “Mike, your leadership strengthened us financially, operationally, and strategically. But more importantly, you never lost sight of the community we serve and the people who make our mission possible.”
“Mike was always worrying about and caring for others, never himself,” said John Ryan, Temple Health’s Chief Administrative Officer. “He was always putting other people first, and that translated to always putting Temple first. For me, that’s why he has been such a success, and has had such an impact here at Temple Health.”
John Ryan, Temple Health’s Chief Administrative Officer.
“I’ve been proud of so many things we’ve done here,” said Young. “But the impact that means the most—and the one I’m proudest of—is the leadership team that’s in place, and the leaders we’ve sent off across the country.”
Young addresses attendees at the celebration.
Changing Hundreds of Thousands of Lives
In a toast that concluded the evening’s program, Ryan highlighted the extent of Young’s impact and thanked him for his extraordinary service to Temple Health.
(From left) Rastogi, Young, and President Fry.
“Mike, you have had a profound effect on the lives of everyone in this room tonight,” he said. “On the lives of thousands of caregivers and staff across a dozen hospitals, and on the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients. Temple Health has been transformed forever under your leadership, and your legacy will live on in the leaders you supported.”
“We’ve shown that there’s a better way to manage this business, treat patients, and care for our communities,” Young told attendees. “There’s a bright future ahead of you—one where these past seven years were just the start of Temple spiraling up.”