National Research Corporation Expands Board Strength with Appointments of Healthcare Industry Veterans

LINCOLN, Neb., May 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Research Corporation, doing business as NRC Health (“NRC Health,” “NRC”, the “Company), the leading provider of in-depth customer insights in healthcare, today announced that it has expanded its Board strength with the additions of Allina Health CEO, Penny Wheeler, M.D., and former Sutter Health Chief Medical Officer, Stephen Lockhart, M.D., PhD. Their appointments are effective immediately.

“It is an honor to welcome both Penny and Steve to NRC Health. As long-time, lauded executives in the industry, they understand the challenges behind delivering care and improving the quality of life for entire communities, especially those underserved,” said NRC Health CEO Michael Hays. “Combined with their clinical expertise, Penny and Steve bring a value to NRC Health that cannot be understated. As we double down on our efforts to bring more Human Understanding to healthcare, the unique perspectives they each bring to our leadership will help us maximize that vision. We’re excited they chose NRC Health and we look forward to their contributions."

Since 2015, Dr. Wheeler has served as the chief executive officer of Allina Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system serving over 1.5 million individuals in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Previously, she served as chief clinical officer from 2006. For 20 years, Wheeler has served as a board-certified OB-GYN and has spent considerable time interacting with, and caring for, patients and the community. In 2015, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton appointed her to the Taskforce for Healthcare Financing, and she has been named as one of the top 25 women in healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine.

“As a healthcare executive with a clinical background, I am deeply aware of the importance of the patient-provider relationship and why, as healthcare leaders, we must lead with patient-centered care,” said Wheeler. “The work NRC Health has done to reframe how its customers think about consumers’ evolving preferences through the lens of empathy and compassion is remarkable. I’m honored to join the NRC Health Board of Directors and I look forward to investing in the important mission of Human Understanding together.”

Dr. Lockhart brings more than 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry as both a medical provider and administrator in a large healthcare system to his Board role at NRC Health. Lockhart most recently served as senior vice president and chief medical officer for Sutter Health, a not-for-profit system of hospitals, physician organizations and research institutions in Northern California. From 2010 to 2015, he served as the regional chief medical officer for Sutter Health Network’s East Bay Region. In 2017, Lockhart was named to California Governor Jerry Brown’s Advisory Committee on Precision Medicine as part of California’s effort to use advanced computing and technology to better understand, treat and prevent disease. He was also named as one of the top 25 minority leaders in healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine.

“For many years, I’ve admired NRC Health’s mission to inject more humanity into healthcare, and I’m excited to finally align my background with the Company,” said Lockhart. “With this mission more relevant today than ever, my goal as a new Board member is to help NRC Health continue to tell the important stories and empower healthcare organizations to design and deliver more personalized healthcare experiences for their patients.”

About NRC Health
For more than 40 years, National Research Corporation (NRC Health) (NASDAQ: NRC) has been committed to achieving Human Understanding and bringing healthcare organizations closer to their customers than ever before by illuminating and improving the key moments that define an experience and build trust. Guided by their uniquely empathic heritage, proprietary methods, skilled associates, and holistic approach, NRC Health helps its customers design experiences that exceed expectations, inspire loyalty and improve well-being among patients, residents, physicians, nurses and staff. For more information, write to info@nrchealth.com, or visit www.nrchealth.com.

Press Contact
Jennifer Lyle
Public Relations for NRC Health
nrchealth@barokas.com