The Powers That Be

The Powers That Be is the exciting and adventurous non-fiction account of one American's fascinating experiences as the Chief Executive Officer of a highly prestigious private hospital in the Middle East, at that time, owned by one of the richest and most controversial individuals in the world. The book describes the complex situations and challenges of managing such a unique hospital in an environment of "shifting sands." It provides a keen insight into the business and social culture of Saudi Arabia, its people, and the Middle East in general. It describes the many natural wonders of this mysterious and magnificent vast peninsula and some of its history. It allows one to see clearly the extremes between the life styles of the simple Bedouins and the ostentation of the privileged few. Most intriguing is the vivid description of what can happen when an influential Saudi family falls out of favour with the "powers that be" and how swiftly strategic collaboration can turn into reverse privatization and the aftermaths of such. It clearly demonstrates that mirages are not necessarily limited to the deserts of Saudi Arabia when the Monarchy flexes its muscles.

Gordon Utgard has some thirty years of experience in the health care industry, nine being in International markets. He has served in the CEO capacity at five hospitals and one health plan. He created a proprietorship business in early 1997 to support the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s development of a worldwide hospital network. This business, Utgard Associates, was also the entity that contracted with the Al-Salama Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to provide the hospital’s CEO, which this book is about. Gordon holds a BA degree in Economics/Finance from Baylor University, where he was a three-year football letterman and team captain, and has a Masters of Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is a fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives and is a Lead Faculty Member in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at LeTourneau University In Dallas, Texas. Gordon served as a director on several boards and has presented at several domestic and international seminars. He is currently serving as the Master Facility Plan Project Executive at Memorial Health Care System, Chattanooga, TN. Gordon is married and has one son and one daughter.