Shifting Focus: Clohisy Leaves a Lasting, Undeniable Legacy

Becoming Chair 

When Marc Swiontkowski, MD shared his plans to step down as Chair in 2007, Clohisy—who had been a faculty member at the University of Minnesota since 1991—felt he was the right fit for the job. 

“At the time, I was very engaged in all aspects of academic medicine and patient care,” Clohisy reflects. “I had a large, successful research lab and I enjoyed teaching. I was fully aligned with our mission, and I didn’t want us to lose that focus.” 

Well-positioned to take on the role and ensure the department remained consistent with the broader goals of the Medical School and University at large, Clohisy was officially appointed Chair inJuly 2007. 

He wasn’t the only new face in the department’s leadership. Merely weeks before his appointment, Administrative Director Erica Stangeland joined the team, marking the beginning of a professional partnership that would shape the department’s trajectory for nearly two decades.

Shaping the Department 

Twenty years ago, the department’s administrative structure was lean, with just a handful of staff members dedicated to research and education. On the clinical side, roughly twenty UMP faculty members made up the core of the department’s clinical expertise. 

Since then, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery has experienced significant growth in employment, expanding to more than 30 full-time staff members and roughly 65 UMP-full time faculty and 95 total faculty across all education sites.

This evolution was not accidental it was built on a foundation of collaboration, trust, and shared vision between Clohisy and Stangeland. Their leadership was defined by a willingness to engage in honest, sometimes difficult conversations about the department’s future, always with the goal of strengthening its people and programs.

Both credit their success to a mutual respect for one another’s expertise, a commitment to continuous learning through executive coaching, and an open dialogue with faculty and staff to understand their aspirations and needs.

Drawing Inspiration 

Throughout his tenure as Chair, Clohisy has drawn inspiration from those closest to him—both personally and professionally. 

“From a personal standpoint, I find inspiration from my father, mother, and father-in-law because of their humility, integrity, and they’re simply unselfish people. They act in the best interest of others.” These values have shaped his own approach to leadership, guiding his decisions with a sense of fairness and responsibility.

Professionally, Clohisy credits several key figures who have influenced his career and leadership style. Among them are Roby Thompson Jr. (Chair, 1974-1995) and Jim Ogilvie (Interim Chair, 1995-1997), both of whom he regards as mentors and models for strong, principled leadership. 

His passion for science was deeply influenced by Dr. Steve Teitelbaum, under whom he spent two formative years in the lab at Washington University Teitelbaum’s mentorship instilled in him a deep appreciation for research and discovery, elements that have remained central to his work to this day.

On His Impact 

When asking former and current residents and faculty members to reflect on their experience with Clohisy, a clear theme emerges.

Again and again, his colleagues point to his generosity with his time, his willingness to go the extra mile, and the steady calm that defines his leadership.Many credit his thoughtful, rational approach and genuine mentorship as pivotal forces that helped shape not only their training, but their careers.

Lauren (MacCormick) Tatman, MD (Class of 2019), shared how profoundly Clohisy’s example shaped her path: “Dr. Clohisy changed my entire career trajectory. His passionate and ethical approach to clinical care and academic orthopedic surgery motivated me to pursue an academic career. He has always been willing to spend the time to meet with or mentor me, and he continues to inspire me to provide the highest possible level of care to patients and the community.”

Brad Nelson, MD, who will serve as interim chair beginning July 1, 2025, echoes similar sentiments: “I have had the privilege of working for and alongside Denis for many years. I most appreciate his thoughtful and calm leadership. He has been a key mentor for me in my career. However, there have been a few times when the Irish temper comes out and the language gets salty. Certainly makes me smile!”
 

Building A Supportive Culture 

Reflecting on his tenure, Clohisy identifies two key achievements that stand out as defining elements of his leadership. First and foremost, he takes pride in building a strong and inclusive workplace culture.

“We have continuously focused on improving workplace culture for all of our members,” he explains. “Whether someone’s wheeling the patient off to surgery or writing the most sophisticated research grant, I’ve tried to create an environment that’s respectful, that prioritizes people, allows people to grow and seek an opportunity, and breeds loyalty to our mission.”

His leadership has been guided by the belief that a thriving department is built on mutual respect and the empowerment of its members, ensuring that each individual, regardless of role, feels valued and supported.

Equally significant is his emphasis on teamwork. Clohisy takes great pride in the department’s ability to build and sustain highly effective teams across all aspects of its work. From administrative staff to clinical care providers, from research collaborators to service line leaders operating across multiple health systems, he sees the strength of these teams as a critical driver of the department’s success.

Biggest Achievements 

Clohisy points to the distributed leadership model as a tool that has fundamentally reshaped the department’s structure for the better in the past several years.

“As part of this model, we created vice chairs and sections which we never officially had,” he shares. “We also had designated university employed physician leaders in all of our major health system relationships.”

This model was designed to decentralize leadership, ensuring that faculty had direct, engaged support within their respective sections rather than relying solely on the Chair for guidance. By empowering section leaders and establishing clear leadership roles, the department has been able to support a more connected and responsive environment across all subspecialties.

Given the tripartite mission of the University, he attributes the highest value to the excellent patient care that the department and all of its providers across the state provide. 

The Department of Orthopedic Surgery’s education programs have now expanded deeply into medical student and fellowship education, in addition to the traditionally strong residency program.

Research, in recent years, is also on an upswing. Department members publish on average 150 papers per year (in 2005, the output was 73). The department’s NIH ranking has increased to 22nd in the nation, and several early-career faculty members are committed and in the process of seeking additional or original federal funding through the NIH or DoD.

Additionally, Clohisy takes pride in the department’s expanded role in providing medical care for the University of Minnesota’s athletic teams, particularly Gopher Football. The department’s influence has extended across all D1 Gopher Athletics programs, unifying the care model under one system. 

By consolidating the orthopedic care of student-athletes, the department has been able to strengthen collaboration, improve continuity of care, and enhance the overall quality of sports medicine and orthopedic services offered at the University.
 

His Defining Strength 

For those who know Clohisy well, his keen interest in financial management is a defining strength of his leadership. Over the years, he has been deeply engaged in developing sustainable financial strategies to support the Department of Orthopedic Surgery’s mission.

“One of the assets I brought to the role was experience and interest in understanding funds flow, finance, and contracting. Usually, this is done outside of the Chair,” he shares.

Rather than leaving these critical aspects solely in the hands of administrators outside the department, Clohisy took an active role in ensuring the department’s financial stability and growth.

His impact is evident in the numbers. Since he became Chair, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery’s revenues have grown by 380%. This financial expansion has not only strengthened operations but has also allowed for significant reinvestment into the department’s core values.

A prime example of this is the establishment of the department’s Mission Investment Fund in 2012, a program designed to provide long-term financial support for education, research, and patient care.

In the 13 years since its inception, nearly $10 million has been strategically invested to advance these key initiatives, ensuring that the department remains at the forefront of orthopedic excellence.
 

Not A Challenge, An Opportunity 

While Clohisy has led the Department of Orthopedic Surgery through an era of noticeable growth and success, he acknowledges that the role has come with its share of complexities.

However, rather than viewing these as challenges, he prefers to see them as opportunities for growth and learning. He believes the most significant opportunity of his tenure was mastering the ability to navigate and collaborate within complex organizations across multiple health systems.

“It’s really something that I have had to learn—I didn’t step into this role with that kind of experience,” Clohisy admits.

Leading a department that intersects with numerous healthcare entities requires a nuanced understanding of different institutional structures, priorities, and operations.

“Over time, I think I’ve been successful in managing this by gaining a deep knowledge of other organizations, having a strong understanding of finance and contracting, and being able to build teams across organizations.”
 

Pivotal Partnerships 

Strong partnerships have been a cornerstone of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery’s success, allowing for an expansive reach in patient care, resident education, and clinical research.

Despite the self-professed complexities of working across multiple health systems, Clohisy views these partnerships as one of the department’s greatest strengths.

“I’m very proud of our health system relationships and the value that we have added, as well as the strong support of bi-directional relationships that we have with each of the health systems,” he says.

These partnerships have allowed the department to extend its expertise beyond M Health Fairview, with orthopedic surgeons and medical orthopedists providing care at sites including Gillette Children’s, Hennepin County Medical Center, CentraCare M Physicians, TRIA Orthopedic Center, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, Regions Hospital, Shriners Children’s, and additional ancillary sites.

Each system plays a vital role in providing exceptional orthopedic care, expanding the department’s impact throughout the Twin Cities and, more recently, central Minnesota with the addition of Centra-Care M Physicians in 2019, a partnership championed by Stangeland and Clohisy and supported by UMP leadership.

Leadership Positions & Collaborations 

Beyond his role as Chair, Clohisy has taken on key leadership positions that have strengthened the Department of Orthopedic Surgery’s influence and strategic direction. As Associate Dean for Surgical Procedural Specialties in the Medical School (2018–present) and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at University of Minnesota Physicians (2021–present), Clohisy has helped position the department to be “in the know” when it comes to institutional decision-making and future planning.

Given his various leadership positions and based on history alone, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery has not hesitated to push the envelope. Orthopedics was one of the first departments to hire specialists outside of its traditional surgical board-certification groups—an unconventional move at the time.

The willingness to break from convention extends beyond hiring practices. 

The department actively sustains collaborations across disciplines, recognizing that patient care and research are strongest when expertise is shared. Today, multidisciplinary partnerships exist with the Division of Physical Therapy, the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Department of Family Medicine, the Department of Radiology,
and plenty more.

Shifting Focus 

As Clohisy prepares to step down as Chair on June 30, he wants to make one thing clear—this isn’t full retirement, but it is a slowing down. He remains committed to his clinical practice and plans to stay involved with UMP and the Dean’s Office, should his involvement be helpful.

Beyond his professional commitments, Clohisy is looking forward to embracing his most important roles as husband, father, and Grandfather. He’s eager to spend more time with his wife, Mary, after years of her selfless support for him and their family. With three children and four grandchildren, family time is at the top of his priority list. His daughters Joal, Cecilia, and their husbands, Andy Moriarity and Ben Hofman, both live in Milwaukee—Joal with her three children and Cecilia with a new baby—while his son, Denny, is in California, preparing for his wedding this August to Riley Mason.

And, of course, there will be more time for his personal passions—exercising, reading, and, perhaps most importantly, fishing.

With a career marked by leadership, innovation, and mentorship, Clohisy is just shifting focus. 

Whether in the operating room, the boardroom, or out on the water with a fishing rod in hand, his influence in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery will undoubtedly continue to be felt for many years to come.