The Face of Kirby Medical Center

Get to know Steve Tenhouse, Kirby Medical Center’s Chief Executive Officer.  

Steve grew up on a small farm outside of a small town on the far west side of Illinois. Although he grew up on a farm, Steve knew he wanted to work in business.

In college, Steve originally studied computer science with a goal of working with computers and networks, but was about 15 years too early for that. After changing his major to Accounting, he did an additional full year of school and summer school before he finally graduated with a Bachelor of Business in accounting and then went on to pass the certified public accountants’ exam.

Post college, Steve went to work for Blue Cross of Illinois as an auditor for the Medicare program. During this time, he was exposed to the healthcare industry. He worked a years as an auditor, then 7 years in the nursing home industry in corporate finance. Following that, he did four years in consulting with Kirby Medical Center as a client, where he then joined the hospital as the chief operating officer/chief financial officer, and then the chief executive officer in 2005.

Steve originally started at Kirby to gain hospital experience and has turned it into a career. Steve realized he wanted to make a difference for everyone that works at Kirby, the hospital, and in turn make a difference for the communities Kirby serves. 

Now many years into his position, Steve has learned so muchand signs all his emails with a favorite quote by Phillips Brooks, “Bad will be the day for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life he is living, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger.” The quote epitomizes his professional goals and the goals he has for Kirby Medical Center.

Thank you, Steve, for all that you have done and will continue to do for Kirby!