Latest News
History: Dr. Owen Otto Quick Links: Dr. Owen Otto was a strong presence at Rogers for over 35 years. For the first twenty years of his tenure, he served as Medical Director, CEO, CFO and President of the Board of Directors. One former staff member called Otto the “king of the court” at Rogers, describing him as an autocrat. Another likened him to “a wizard.” This latter characterization is in keeping with the former board member who said, “I always felt like there were some sort of mystical goings-on at Rogers – things I didn’t understand and didn’t really want to know.” In the mid-1970s, the state hospital licensing board forced a split in the roles of CEO and Medical Director. Given Dr. Otto’s many years of complete control, it is not surprising that the first new administrator, Bert Stajich, given the title of Executive Director, did not last long. The board minutes indicate that there were unresolved issues about authority; that is, the division of duties between Stajich and Otto that led to the Executive Director’s departure after only six months at Rogers. Dr. Otto retired from practice in 1991. By this time, he was close to 75 years old. Dr. Otto died in 1995 of cancer. |
|||
 |
