DuPage Medical CEO’s death a suicide: police

Michael Kasper, the 46-year-old CEO of DuPage Medical Group, died by suicide May 4 in his Elmhurst home, a report issued Monday by the city’s police department said.

The report said no suicide note was found. It said Kasper was found hanged.

Elmhurst police issued the report in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Kasper presided over extensive growth at DuPage Medical, which calls itself the largest, independent multi-specialty physician group in Illinois, with 720 doctors in more than 100 locations. He joined the company in 2010.

On May 8, DuPage Medical said its board appointed two executives to succeed Kasper as co-CEOs on an interim basis. They are its president, Dr. Paul Merrick, and chief financial officer, Michael Pacetti.

“We are committed to building on Mike Kasper’s legacy by continuing the great work that he so passionately believed in,” Merrick said in a news release. “Shoulder to shoulder, we will continue to make healthcare better for our patients and community by offering high quality and compassionate care.”

In 2017, the Downers Grove-based company got a $1.45 billion investment from private equity firm Ares Management. At the time, Kasper said the money would fund an expansion into the northwest suburbs from its base in the west and southwest suburbs. Kasper also said DuPage Medical may expand to other states.