Business Hall of Fame 2005: Sister Frances Marie Masching, O.S.F.
Sister Frances Marie Masching, O.S.F., was a member of The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis from 1948 to her death in June, 2000. Sister Frances Marie had been executive vice-president between 1982 and 1989 and then was appointed president of OSF Healthcare Systems in 1989 until May 1999. She also served as Chief Executive Officer. As president, Sister Frances Marie also served as the chairperson of OSF Saint Francis, Inc., OSF HealthPlans, Inc., and OSF HealthCare Foundation.
Sister Frances Marie held numerous leadership positions prior to 1982 including serving as the Director of Nursing at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center between 1957 and 1961. Subsequently, she was the administrator of OSF Saint James Hospital in Pontiac, IL from 1962 to 1968. Between 1968 and 1972, Sister Frances Marie was the Director of Formation and from 1972 to 1982 served as the Major Superior of the religious congregation.
During her tenure as president, Sister Frances Marie oversaw the growth of OSF Healthcare System with annual patient service revenues of over 368 million dollars and total asset of over 317 million dollars to 1.265 billion dollars and over 861 million dollars respectively in 2000. Additionally, the number of employees grew from slightly less than 5,900 in 1988 to more than 10,000 by 2000.
One of Sister Frances Marie's unique leadership qualities was that she would welcome every new management person personally throughout the System and therefore she knew everyone professionally and personally and kept in touch regularly. Her commitment to the Mission "...to serve persons with the greatest care and love in a community that celebrates the gift of life" was a terrific example to all those who reported to her directly and indirectly.
Sister Frances Marie served as a member-at-large on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Hospital and Health Systems Association and the Peoria Inter-Hospital Liaison Committee. She also was the Chairperson/President of the Illinois catholic Health Association Board of Trustees and served on the Board of Directors of the Pope John XXIII Center for Medical Moral Research and Education, Braintree, MA.
In 1984, Sister Marie received an Award for Outstanding Achievement in business from the Peoria YWCA's "Women of Distinction" program. She received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice papal honor in 1995 and was bestowed a Pere Marquette Medal in 1998 for her significant service to the Church and the Diocese of Peoria.