Mercy taps Stover to lead Mercy Northwest Arkansas Communities; Gehrig to focus on Fort Smith

ROGERS -- Mercy has tapped Rhett Stover as the next president of Mercy Northwest Arkansas Communities, citing his "visionary leadership" in a time of growth for the health system. Mercy announced in a Wednesday morning news release that Stover will begin his new job Dec. 1, leading operations and strategy for Mercy's hospitals and clinics across Northwest Arkansas. Stover will work closely with community leaders to ensure Mercy provides high-quality, compassionate care while planning for the future, which includes a 30-year collaboration with the Alice L. Walton Foundation and Heartland Whole Health Institute, according to the release. Stover has served in many leadership roles throughout his career, including chief executive officer of Oklahoma State University Medicine, where he was responsible for integrated growth and operational strategies as the statewide network expanded access across Oklahoma, the release states. Prior to that role, he was the chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and CEO of Oklahoma State University Medical Center in Tulsa while it was managed by Mercy. Stover is returning to Mercy after most recently leading Proactive MD, an advanced primary care network and value-based care organization covering 22 states, according to the release. "With Rhett's strong track record of leading quality health care systems and driving meaningful transformation, he brings exactly the kind of visionary leadership Mercy Northwest Arkansas needs in this time of remarkable growth and opportunity," said David Argueta, Mercy's senior vice president and president of community operations. "His leadership aligns seamlessly with our commitment to excellence and service in the community." Stover said he feels honored to serve with the "exceptional team of physicians and caregivers" at Mercy. "Having always been inspired by Mercy's vision for health and healing, I'm humbled and eager to advance critical transformation initiatives that will create lasting impact for our patients across the Northwest Arkansas community and greater region for generations to come," he said. "It's exciting to welcome Rhett back to Mercy," Argueta added. "His understanding of our mission, combined with his years of proven leadership across diverse health care settings, brings both familiarity and fresh perspective to this new chapter of growth and collaboration." Stover earned his bachelor's degree in business administration marketing at the University of Oklahoma and his master's degree in health care administration at Oklahoma State University, the release states. With the growth seen in both Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith, Ryan Gehrig, who recently served as president for all Mercy Arkansas Communities, will now focus full time on Mercy Fort Smith, according to the release. This includes the recent $186 million expansion of its emergency room and intensive care unit as well as a $41 million cancer center addition currently under construction. "We are deeply grateful for Ryan's dedicated leadership guiding all the Mercy Arkansas Communities through this time of growth. He carried that responsibility with remarkable grace," Argueta said. "His steadfast commitment and vision have advanced our mission, supported our caregivers and ensured exceptional care for our patients. We are thankful to have his continued leadership focused on Mercy Fort Smith."