Ryan Gehrig has been named president of St. Edward Mercy Health System in Fort Smith, effective April 9.
Gehrig will fill the spot vacated in September by Jeff Johnston, who was promoted to president of Mercy St. Louis. St. Edward Mercy will be renamed Mercy Hospital Fort Smith at the end of April as part of a uniform branding decision by its parent company, Mercy of St. Louis.
"We couldn’t be happier than to have our new president joining us at such an exciting time in Mercy’s history in Fort Smith," Kim Day, president of Mercy’s Arkansas communities and interim president of St. Edward Mercy, said in a press release. "After spending six months on a very deliberate search, it’s great to have found a leader that’s not only highly qualified but the right fit for this community."
Gehrig is coming to Fort Smith from a job as vice president of enterprise systems at Norman (Okla.) Regional Health System, which includes Moore Medical Center, where he was chief administrative officer. He was previously chief operating officer of Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg, Miss., and CEO of Bristow Medical Center and COO of Cushing Regional Hospital, which are part of Hillcrest Healthcare System in Tulsa.
He hold a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University and a master’s in health care administration from Trinity University at San Antonio. Like is father, he is a graduate of Subiaco Academy in Logan County.
"It’s really a pleasure to be moving back to the River Valley," Gehrig said in the press release. "I’ve always admired Mercy’s health care ministry. They are both compassionate in their care and innovative in their approach. I’m anxious to get my feet on the ground and get to know the physicians and co-workers as well as become involved in the community."