Management shuffled at Sarah Cannon Research Institute

Observers suspect change of CEO and other moves signify little more than move toward maturity

Email | Print By Walker Duncan

Dee Anna Smith

Sarah Cannon Research Insitute today announced changes in several top leadership roles at the for-profit cancer research organization.

Dee Anna Smith, who came to the company in 2005 with its acquisition of her firm Summit Research Solutions, has been named the new CEO. Prior to this new role Smith had served as president of SCRI Services and chief information officer for the company. This appointment comes after the former CEO and co-founder of SCRI, Mark Cianciolo, quietly resigned sometime in the last two weeks.

In addition to Smith's promotion, two newly created positions, chief scientific officer and chief medical officer, have been filled by Drs. John D. Hainsworth and Howard A. "Skip" Burris respectively. Burris has also been named to SCRI's board of governors, which today announced the appointment of Dr. Charles E. McKay as its new chairman.

McKay is CEO of Tennessee Oncology, one of the largest physician-owned oncology practices in the country. That company, along with HCA, created SCRI in 2004. He will be taking over for former chairman, Russ Harms. Harms, who is chief financial officer for HCA's Central Group, will remain on the board.

Industry observers speaking to NashvillePost.com speculated that these personnel changes signal a concerted effort by the company to move away from its start-up status and to find the stride of a more mature entity.