Dr. Russell Vester is a Senior Advisor to ArkMalibu and is a practicing cardiothoracic surgeon with over thirty years’ experience. Throughout his career, he has served in many leadership roles. Four years after joining Cardiac, Vascular and Thoracic Surgeons, Inc. in Cincinnati, he was elected Board Chair and CEO. Over the next fifteen years, he grew the practice to be the dominant supplier of cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgical services for southwestern Ohio. During this same period, he served as Medical Director of the cardiovascular service line of The Health Alliance, as well as helped Catholic Healthcare Partners design and implement three new open heart programs in the Cincinnati area. He was also the sole vector for the sale of The Jewish Hospital to Mercy Health, Inc.
Dr. Vester has served in the past as Chief of Staff, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director of the surgical residency program at The Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. He has maintained close affiliation with the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and redesigned their cardiac surgical program in the early 2000’s. He remains an avid teacher and advocate for surgical residents at The Jewish Hospital and for cardiac surgical fellows from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Charitable pursuits have been a strong focus for Dr. Vester. He has served on the board of the Cincinnati chapter of the American Heart Association for over twenty years, including four consecutive two-year terms as President. Dr Vester has also served on the Cincinnati Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and remains a medical advisor for them. He and a business partner have recently founded a new food business whose goal is to make a meaningful dent in areas of food insecurity.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Davidson College for which he was a North Carolina Fellow, his M.D. degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, completed his general surgical residency at Boston University Medical Center, also completed a fellowship in cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and finally wrapped up his surgical training with a fellowship in pediatric congenital heart disease at Boston Children’s Hospital of Harvard University.
Dr. Vester was a driving instructor for his regional club of the Porsche Club of America for a decade, raced with PCA for a few years, and participated in the One Lap of America race six times, winning his class once. If he can’t be driving on a track during his time off, he would rather be fly fishing with friends or skiing.
Dr. Vester’s favorite thing in the world is his family. He has been happily married to the same astonishingly tolerant woman for 32 years and has two daughters and a son. It is his family that provides him with the constant desire to achieve and succeed.
