PORTLAND, OR: Danielson stepping down at Providence Health & Services

Russ Danielson, Providence Health & Services CEO/senior vice president for the Oregon region, will retire at the end of 2010. He's been with Providence for 25 years, the last nine as its Oregon leader. With more than 17,000 Oregon employees, Providence is the state's largest health system. Its operations include eight hospitals, Providence Health Plans, home health, hospice, long-term care, and physician clinics. Providence will search both internally and externally for a replacement. Recruitment could take six to nine months and Danielson, 55, will remain in his position through that transition.