Pima Medical Institute announced new leadership by naming Liby Lentz as President and Andy Andress as Chief Executive Officer of the medical career college. The two bring a breadth of knowledge and decades of experience as they lead Pima Medical and continue the mission of improving the quality of people’s lives by providing the best value in medical career education.
Lentz has been with Pima Medical for nearly three decades as our Human Resources Director, with an extensive background in all areas of human resources, including team development and employee relations. She developed an HR department responsible for the implementation of several innovative employee programs, which have contributed significantly to the growth and long-term success of Pima Medical and its more than 1,300 employee-owners.
“Liby has a comprehensive understanding of Pima Medical and our company ethos, which makes her invaluable in her new role,” said Richard Luebke, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Pima Medical Institute. “Since joining Pima Medical, Liby has consistently demonstrated her ability to lead and has been instrumental in advancing our mission to serve our students and our employees. I am confident this will continue under her leadership.”
In her previous role as Vice President, HR Director, Lentz has been instrumental in developing and growing Pima Medical’s employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).
“I am honored to carry on the employee-owned culture that was created by the Luebke family,” said Lentz. “As employee owners, each one of us is truly invested in student outcomes and our company growth. It is central to my leadership approach and the continued upward trajectory of Pima Medical.”
Lentz is a graduate of the University of Arizona and earned her Master of Arts in Human Resources Management from the University of Phoenix.
Andress joins Pima Medical from Brightstar Care, a leading national franchise of home healthcare and medical staffing, where he was Senior Vice President. Prior to being named Pima Medical’s CEO, he also served as Chief Operating Officer at DeVry Medical International, a provider of medical and veterinary education and subsidiary of Adtalem Global Education group.
Andress has a proven record of applying analytical approaches to drive positive results across a diverse range of industries.
“Andy brings with him a versatile skillset in both education and healthcare,” added Luebke. “His collaborative approach to leadership, combined with his data-driven, strategic thinking will surely help to guide us as we move into this exciting new chapter for Pima Medical.”
“I am looking forward to working alongside Liby and the entire leadership team here at Pima Medical,” said Andress. “I am confident that my years of experience in both the corporate and education sectors puts me in a position to continue the company’s successful growth. 50 years is an impressive milestone and I look forward to serving our students and employees as we chart a course for the next 50 years.”
Andress is a graduate of Skidmore College and earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Andress and Lentz succeed past President and CEO Fred Freedman, who retired in April after more than 20 years with Pima Medical.
Founded in 1972 in Tucson, Ariz., Pima Medical is a trusted provider of quality medical career education. Pima Medical students are respected as some of the most qualified professionals in their fields and are often employed at preferred hospitals, clinics and facilities in their communities.
