With his more than 30 years' experience in ASC strategy and operations, Mark Langston is set to lead Compass Surgical Partners' efforts to launch and expand high-performing surgery centers for health system and physician partners. | Photo provided by Compass Surgical PartnersCompass Surgical Partners has named Mark Langston its new CEO.
The change comes as the large and fast-growing ambulatory surgery center (ASC) management company prepares for its next phase of expansion amid accelerating shifts toward outpatient care.
“Compass is at a point where growth is happening across multiple existing partnerships, while we also look ahead to adding new health system partnerships in 2026 and beyond,” Langston said in a press release. “My focus as CEO is on building the teams and systems that allow us to grow in a disciplined way, supporting our health system and physician partners while keeping care delivery strong at the local level.”
Langston, who previously served as Compass’ chief development officer, succeeds DJ Hill, who will remain actively involved as board chair following what the company described as a planned leadership transition.
The change comes as health systems and physician groups continue to push more complex procedures into ASCs, driven by reimbursement changes, regulatory tailwinds and mounting pressure to lower costs.
“This transition reflects a deliberate succession process,” Hill said in the release. “As Compass approached a growth inflection point last year, we knew the organization would benefit from leadership with deep operational experience and a track record of scaling platforms thoughtfully.”
Langston brings more than 30 years of experience in ASC strategy and operations to the role.
Since joining Compass, he has played a central role in expanding the company’s development pipeline and deepening relationships with physician groups and health systems. As CEO, he is expected to focus on scaling Compass’ operating platform, including investments in data, infrastructure and clinical performance tools designed to support high-performing surgery centers.
“We brought Mark into the company as chief development officer with that future in mind,” Hill continued. “This is the right time to make a disciplined leadership transition that serves our physician and health system partners optimally.”
Under Hill’s leadership, Compass strengthened its joint venture model and positioned itself to capitalize on the growing migration of surgical care into outpatient settings.
Among the recent developments that highlight that momentum, Compass in September expanded its partnership with Bon Secours Mercy Health.
Earlier in 2025, Compass, Orthopaedic Institute of North Texas (OINT), and Lam Vascular & Associates announced a strategic partnership to develop and operate an ASC in Frisco, Texas.
Compass announced Langston’s appointment to the chief development officer role in April 2025.
“I work with health systems to build ambitious ambulatory strategies tailored to local service area needs – strategies that not only align with employed and independent physicians, but also open doors to new relationships across the care continuum,” Langston said at the time.
The CEO transition adds to a string of leadership updates at Compass over the last several months.
In July 2024, the ASC management company announced Darcy Smith as chief people officer. Later that year, Compass named Sarah Jacobs as its chief legal officer.
Most recently, Compass tapped a new CFO in John Hammack as well.
