Joe Butterfield.
Health Minister Tony Ryall also announced Tim Ward, of Invercargill, would replace the retiring Paul Menzies as deputy chairman.
Mr Ward, also an accountant, was elected in October after serving the previous triennium as a ministerial appointee.
Mr Butterfield said Mr Ward was the ''best man for the job'' of deputy. He was happy to continue in his role, which involved a huge amount of travel in Otago and Southland, and to other centres.
The board had to get out of deficit to meet significant capital demands over the next 20 years.
''It's not in the state that it wants to be in and it needs to be in.''
The first meeting of the new triennium is next week, and further ministerial appointees will be made in due course.
