Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists PS says it has hired Robert J. Wunar as its new chief executive officer. 

Wunar became the practice’s first non-physician CEO when he joined it on Oct. 5. Historically, the CEO position always has been held by one of the clinic’s physicians, most recently Dr. Patrick S. Lynch. 

New to the Northwest, Wunar says he grew up in Chicago and spent much of his career on the East Coast. Prior to starting his position with Northwest, Wunar was self-employed, working as an independent financial consultant.

“I chose to relocate to Spokane in order to work with the prominent group of surgeons and staff at Northwest Orthopedic Specialists, but what outdoor enthusiast wouldn’t love the Inland Northwest?” he says. 

NWOS includes more than 20 orthopedic specialists, who provide a wide range of services from general to subspecialized treatment and care, and the practice employs more than 200 people in all. Its doctors and staff treat spine, shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist, hip, knee, foot and ankle problems. Areas of practice also include sports medicine, joint replacement and revisions, interventional pain management, and trauma and fracture care.

The practice has three locations—at 601 W. Fifth south of downtown, at 212 E. Central near Providence Holy Family Hospital on Spokane’s North Side, and at 12410 E. Sinto in Spokane Valley. The practice was formed in 2001 when two orthopedic practices, Northwest Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic and Associated Orthopaedic Specialists, merged into one.

Wunar says his fascination with health care started with a high school career program.

“I’ve always had an interest in business, so combining health care and business seemed like a natural progression,” he says. “My experiences have allowed me to develop a broad-based skill set in health care management including strategic planning, finance, operations and physician relations.”

Wunar earned his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., and a master of health administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. He spent several years in the financial consulting industry before beginning as a health care executive. He is both a certified medical practice executive and a certified practice manager.

Wunar says one of his top goals “is to keep expanding on our group’s already excellent reputation.”