Longtime Asante leader tapped to co-lead Asante Cancer Services

Brian Murphy, who has led Asante Materials Management for the past 15 years, will serve as administrative director of Asante Cancer Services effective Oct. 17. In this newly created position, he will work alongside a to-be-named clinical director of cancer services. The two will provide operational oversight for cancer services across the Asante system, including overseeing outpatient cancer care in the expanded Helen K. Spears Cancer Center at ATRMC and soon-to-open Heimann Cancer Center at ARRMC.

Murphy and the clinical director succeed former cancer services director Maggie Schultz, who left in August to relocate to Las Vegas. Murphy joined Asante in 1999 as a purchasing assistant and has had progressive roles within Materials Management ever since. He has served as the director of Materials Management for Asante since 2006.

He holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MBA from Southern Oregon University.

“Brian is well-respected for his thoughtful and steady leadership,” said Kristi Blackhurst, vice president of Operations for ARRMC and AACH. “As logistics chief for Asante’s COVID-19 Incident Command team, despite unprecedented supply chain shortages, Brian consistently secured adequate quantities of PPE, supplies and equipment necessary for our staff and physicians to safely care for our community.”

While leading Asante value analysis initiatives, Murphy successfully partnered with operational leaders and physicians to lower supply costs while maintaining Asante’s high standards of care. In one such initiative, he worked with cardiologists to reduce cardiac cath lab device expenses by more than 15%.

Murphy and his team have also played critical roles in negotiating and procuring capital equipment, furniture and supplies for the new Heimann and Spears cancer centers, the Asante Outpatient Center on the ATRMC campus and the ARRMC pavilion now under construction.

“We feel so fortunate to have Brian in this new role and look forward to his leadership in providing enhanced cancer care to the communities we serve,” Blackhurst said.

In his free time, Murphy enjoys exploring Oregon and beyond with his wife, and daughter, Maddie. A native of Massachusetts, he is a die-hard Red Sox fan, but does not miss the traffic or humidity. As a charter member of the After Five Rotary Club, he participates in regular community improvement projects.

Asante is conducting a search for a new director of Materials Management.