This month, Steven Packer, MD, retires after a 40-year career of service to Monterey County communities — 14 years as a doctor and 26 years as Montage Health’s president and CEO.
From childhood to college to medical school and then his career — not to mention falling in love and starting a family along the way — those who know Packer best are reflecting on his outstanding journey.
Here’s what some of them had to say.
Jerry Packer, Steven Packer's brother
“Steve was driven. He used to ride his bike miles across town to attend an advanced program that wasn’t offered at the local high school. He was always in the library studying. Me and our brother Chuck — if we said we were in the library, we were anywhere but the library.”
Jerry and Chuck agree that their brother had a natural inclination for hard work and dedication from an early age. Fast forward to the mid-70s at the University of California, Irvine, and Packer’s innate drive for excellence was rubbing off on his peers.
Dr. Packer as Medical Director of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula’s Intensive Care Unit (1988–99), Community Hospital’s chief of staff (1997–99)
Katherine Tuttle, MD, Packer’s UC Irvine classmate
“I met Steve as a freshman, straight out of a mediocre public high school. I didn’t know if I could meet the requirements of rigorous university curriculum, but Steve was a model of diligence and excellence. He believed in me long before I did. I went on to a 40-plus-year career in academic medicine, and I credit Steve with being one of my earliest mentors.”
Loretta Patterson, Packer’s UC Irvine classmate
“A few of us, all science majors, created a study group. A couple of us girls rented a house on Balboa Island and our whole study group went there. But instead of talking about what most 18 or 19-year-olds talked about — this was the beginning of the disco era — Steve wanted to spend the evening talking about viruses. Everyone knew he was the smartest guy in the group.”
Packer graduated magna cum laude from UC Irvine in 1978 and headed 450 miles north.
Ann Packer, Steven Packer's wife
“I met him in his second year of medical school at University of California, San Francisco, and was impressed by his intelligence and curiosity. I was working at a law firm in San Francisco as a paralegal. I drove him home from a party one night. We were both new to the area and decided to meet again. The rest is history.”
Steven and Ann celebrate their 40th anniversary on May 11.
After three years of post-graduate training in internal medicine at UCSF, fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine at UC Irvine Medical Center, marriage to Ann, a move to Monterey, and a brief time practicing at Central Medical Clinic in Pacific Grove, Packer joined Cardiopulmonary Associates of the Monterey Peninsula private practice in 1987.
While he worked at the practice, he was also medical director of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula’s Intensive Care Unit (1988–99), served as the hospital’s chief of staff (1997–99), and was part of the search committee designated to find a replacement for retiring CEO Jay Hudson.
David Benjamin, chair of the hospital’s Board of Trustees during the CEO search
“Steve had done a remarkably fine job as chief of staff. Montage Health, since its founding, has a particularly patient-centered culture. Steve was obviously very familiar with that. He understood the values that were important to the community, patients, staff, and board.”
Packer's fitness for the position was evident to those he worked with, and Hudson, the outgoing CEO, personally asked Packer to toss his hat into the CEO ring.
Ann Packer
Dr. Packer and his wife, Ann Packer
“Steve and I were driving to Tahoe, and he says, ‘There’s something I need to talk to you about. They asked me to apply for the CEO job.’ I almost drove the car off the road. He loved the long-term relationships he developed as a doctor, not just with patients, but also their families. To take this job, he would be giving up his medical practice that he loved. But he took the job because he realized this was an opportunity to help not just his patients but the whole community.”
The search committee offered to send Packer to the Stanford Executive Program, and in 1999, he became Montage Health's third-ever CEO.
David Benjamin
“Looking at his record, he hit it out of the park — Community Hospital doubled its number of beds and created new programs like the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tyler Heart Institute, Montage Medical Group, Montage Wellness Center, Carol Hatton Breast Care Center, MoGo Urgent Care, Aspire Health, doctor retention programs, the enormous Ryan Ranch campus expansion, the most recent addition of Ohana — and the list goes on. It isn’t an exaggeration to say he transformed the landscape of the hospital, literally and figuratively.”
Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense and former Director of the CIA, and Packer’s close friend
“His example and his model of leadership that he established will be something that will continue to guide healthcare in this area. He’s very special.”
Of course, nobody — especially Packer — would suggest it didn’t take a phenomenal supporting cast. A highly talented, devoted, and determined group of leaders.
Laura Zehm, former Montage Health chief administrative officer, chief financial officer, and employee for 39 years
“What I appreciate most about Steve as a leader is the trust that he placed in us. While I was part of Steve’s executive team, we created an integrated healthcare system. Steve let me know he had complete confidence in me to lead many of these efforts. The best leaders are those that bring out the best in their team. Steve did that for me.”
Jodi Schaffer, former Emergency department director and 32-year Montage Health employee
“My working relationship with Steve was fabulous. I never hesitated to call or text him or make an appointment to go see him. I felt really supported that way. At one of our leadership retreats, we had to pick a category that was most important to us. I picked ‘do the right thing,’ and he was in that same group. I have the utmost respect and admiration for him.”
And still, Packer never lost his passion for being at the bedside.
Debbie Sober, Montage Health chief nursing officer, former Intensive Care Unit director, and 30-plus-year employee
“Late one night; it was 11 or 12 o’clock . . . I can’t remember why Dr. Packer was in the building, but we were having a difficult time with a critically ill patient. They needed a special procedure that required an IV to be placed into an artery. A nurse can’t do that; only a doctor can. Dr. Packer said, ‘I’ll do it.’ Here is our CEO caring for this patient. He is so compassionate. He’s very people-oriented, relationship-oriented. It really matters to him.”
But Packer’s love for relationships was much deeper than his professional life. That same passion and commitment was also on the home front with his two sons and three grandchildren.
Matt Packer, Steven Packer’s youngest son
“He’s a great dad and a great friend. I love to be with him, having a glass of wine, always having a lively discussion. He taught me to listen to my heart, follow my passion, be confident, and be comfortable in my skin. He encouraged us to live those values.”
Joel Packer, Steven Packer’s oldest son
“My dad cares deeply about family and others in the community. He’s so passionate about his work and his work ethic. There’s so much I picked up just from being around him. He shaped me into the person I am. The impact he’s had on me is immeasurable. I love him with all my heart.”
To kick off his new chapter, Packer looks forward to a 40th anniversary getaway with Ann, a fishing trip in Alaska with his brothers, a golfing trip with his sons, and time with his grandkids. A new normal.
As Packer steps into retirement, his legacy continues to inspire those whose lives he touched throughout his journey. His story is a testament to his unwavering commitment to both his profession and his community. We celebrate his remarkable achievements and the impact he has had on us all. Thank you, Dr. Packer, for your extraordinary service, and enjoy your well-deserved retirement and the adventures ahead.
