Reluctant administrator turned hospital around. (Dr. Leon Malmud; Temple University Hospital)

A specialist in nuclear medicine, Dr. Leon S. Malmud had to be talked into becoming a hospital administrator.

Since 1990 he has served as Temple University Hospital's chief executive officer. During that time, the hospital has turned a $15.6 million operating deficit into a $34.6 million operating income - not a bad turnaround for somebody who really didn't want the job.

Malmud, 55, is a native Philadelphian. He grew up in West Oak Lane, graduated from Central High School and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

After serving his final residency program at Temple University Hospital, Malmud left to work at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for two years before returning to Temple in 1973 and joining its faculty.

While Malmud viewed the medical care Temple delivered equal to anybody including Johns …