Garth Jordan appointed as new CEO to lead SCCE and HCCA's post-pandemic recovery
The Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics (SCCE) and the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) have appointed a new chief executive officer, naming Garth Jordan to lead the sister organisations under one corporate entity. Announced via email to their memberships on Wednesday morning, Jordan succeeds the former CEO Gerry Zack, who resigned last fall. He is set to make his first official appearance at the upcoming SCCE annual conference in Nashville.
The SCCE-HCCA board expressed confidence in Jordan’s capabilities, highlighting his experience, qualifications, and vision as essential to advancing the association. According to the board’s message, Jordan brings a strong background in nonprofit leadership and membership advocacy, along with a proven record in driving innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. These qualities are viewed as vital to propelling the organisation into its next phase.
Jordan previously served as CEO of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) from 2020 until June this year. The AAHA, while considerably smaller than SCCE-HCCA in terms of financial scale—reporting $12.1 million in revenue in 2024 versus SCCE-HCCA’s $22.5 million—has demonstrated stronger financial stability over recent years. The AAHA maintained stable revenues through the COVID-19 pandemic and ran profitable years in 2021 and 2022, although it faced expected losses in 2023 and 2024 as operations normalised post-pandemic.
In contrast, SCCE-HCCA suffered a significant 40 percent dip in annual revenue during 2020 due to event cancellations, and has been rebuilding since. Organisationally, SCCE-HCCA commands greater total assets, reported at $23.9 million compared to AAHA’s $15.9 million. Additionally, Jordan’s previous roles include CEO of a nonprofit consulting firm and chief strategy officer for the Healthcare Financial Management Association during the 2010s, underpinning his extensive healthcare sector experience.
Jordan is based in Denver, although it remains unclear if or when he might relocate to SCCE-HCCA’s Minneapolis headquarters. The board’s endorsement of Jordan suggests a strategic decision focused on steady leadership with expertise in managing member-focused associations, especially during periods of recovery and growth.
The transition follows the resignation of Gerry Zack last October, who had led SCCE-HCCA for seven years. Zack’s departure was marked by an interim leadership period under Daniel R. Roach, a past board president and co-founder of the organisations, who ensured continuity during the search for a permanent CEO. Reflecting on his tenure in a recent podcast, Zack emphasised the importance of community in compliance professions and acknowledged the ongoing challenges compliance officers face, particularly in securing adequate support and resources within their organisations.
SCCE and HCCA have long been pivotal in fostering professional development and community among compliance and healthcare compliance professionals. The organisations’ combined membership, which reached 15,000 individuals in 2015, continues to grow internationally, spanning over 70 countries. They offer extensive programming, including comprehensive publications such as the 'Complete Compliance and Ethics Manual 2025,' and flagship events like the Compliance & Ethics Institute.
Under previous leadership, notably Roy Snell who retired in 2020 after 16 years at the helm, the associations experienced steady growth and strengthened their role in advancing compliance ethics globally. The organisation places a strong emphasis on ethical leadership and effective communication, principles that will likely underpin Jordan’s tenure.
Jordan’s arrival comes at a critical juncture for the associations as they rebuild post-pandemic and strive to serve their members with quality educational programming and networking opportunities. Industry observers will be keen to see how he shapes the future trajectory of this key compliance community, beginning with the forthcoming conference where he will make his formal debut.