Dr. Eric Dickson: CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care Inc., Worcester

Dr. Eric Dickson may be the perfect leader for UMass Memorial Health Care. He intends to use his role as the relatively new honcho of the region’s largest healthcare system to stop UMMHC’s flow of red ink and keep the institution out of the financial emergency room.

In October, the $1.7-billion UMMHC reported an operating loss of $57 million for fiscal 2013. But while its Worcester-based medical center may not be able to avoid workforce reductions and elimination of some services, UMass Memorial’s position as the top local employer in Central Massachusetts, with more than 13,000 people, will not be challenged anytime soon.

Last February, Dickson, a UMMHC insider who had been president of the organization’s UMass Memorial Medical Group, succeeded John O’Brien.

“The skill sets needed to navigate the uncharted waters ahead will be much different than the skill set of my generation,” O’Brien said at the time. “Dr. Dickson has the leadership, business, and personal skills to navigate the organization at a time of industry challenge and opportunity.”

John Prosser: Chairman, Seven Hills Foundation, Worcester

James Paulhus: President and CEO, UniBank for Savings, Whitinsville

Michael O’Brien: City Manager, City of Worcester (Until Jan. 5, 2014)

Tim Murray: President and CEO, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce

Jim McGovern: U.S. Rep., Worcester

William Manley: Founder and CEO, Calare Properties, Hudson

Gordon Lankton: Founder, Museum of Russian Icons and Gallery of African Art, Clinton

Warner Fletcher: Partner, Fletcher Tilton, Worcester

Gerald Fels: Trustee Emeritus, Nichols College, Dudley

Fred Eppinger: President and CEO, The Hanover Insurance Group

Mary DeFeudis: Philanthropist and Volunteer, Northborough

P. Kevin Condron: Chairman and CEO, The Granite Group LLC, Concord, N.H.