Gavin Farry was placed as the senior vice president of business operations and chief financial officer for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in Chicago, Illinois. HIMSS is a global, cause-based, not-for-profit organization that leads efforts to optimize health engagements and care outcomes using information technology, producing health IT thought leadership, education, events, market research, and media services around the world. HIMSS has total net revenue of $90 million and encompasses more than 61,000 individuals, 79% of whom work in healthcare provider, governmental, and not-for-profit organizations across the globe, plus over 640 corporations and 400 not-for-profit partner organizations. In this position, Gavin is responsible for the oversight of the finance, accounting, treasury, planning and analysis, and information technology functions of the society.
Gavin brings to the position a passion for building and leading high-performing teams around core business functions, and for partnering with executive management to provide finance and business leadership, particularly around growth initiatives and change management.
Before joining HIMSS, Gavin served as the chief administrative and financial officer for The Thresholds, an organization that provides health care, housing, employment, and advocacy to over 7,000 individuals with mental illnesses in Illinois each year. With revenues in excess of $70 million and a workforce of over 1,300, Thresholds offers 30 innovative programs at more than 90 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs, and McHenry and Kankakee counties. In his role, Gavin was responsible for finance and accounting, treasury, budgeting and forecasting, internal audit, facilities and real estate management, talent management (HR), and information technology, and was able to help Thresholds achieve financial viability despite its challenging payer mix.
Previously, Gavin served as a principal with Greenbase Group LLC; as vice president and assistant controller for AMLI Residential; and as a controller for Equity Office Properties. He began his career as an assurance manager with Deloitte & Touche.
Gavin is originally from South Africa, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting from University of the Witwatersrand. He also holds an MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 2014, he was named “Chicago CFO of the Year” in the not-for-profit company division by Financial Executives International. Outside of work, Gavin enjoys playing tennis and going to the theater, and serves as vice president and treasurer of a theater in suburban Chicago. He and his wife are the parents of two young daughters.
