Argueta Elected St. Louis Metropolitan Hospital Council President

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — David Argueta, FACHE, regional president of Mercy East and Southwest communities, was elected to serve as the 2025 president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Hospital Council. His term began Jan. 1.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Hospital Council was established in January 1995 as a regional office of the Missouri Hospital Association to serve member hospitals in the bistate metropolitan area of St. Louis. Guided by member input, SLMHC’s primary goals are local representation and advocacy for member hospitals, increased public relations and media communication, and networking for joint community projects.

“David is passionate about the work hospitals do to make every health care experience a good one,” said Jon D. Doolittle, MHA president and CEO. “As a member of the MHA Board of Trustees, through his executive leadership at Mercy in St. Louis and with nearly 20 years of service in hospital administration, he will provide important insights into making the St. Louis community — and all of Missouri — healthier while strengthening the health care system.”

Prior to his current roles as regional president in Mercy’s East and Southwest communities, Argueta served as the chief administrative officer for five years at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. Before joining Mercy, he served as president of the North Houston, Texas, region of Catholic Health Initiatives — St. Luke’s Health for five years. Before joining CHI, he served in several leadership roles, including as chief operating officer at Baylor Scott and White — Hillcrest Region in Waco, Texas.

Argueta is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of business administration and health care administration at Baylor University, in Waco, Texas.

The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association in Jefferson City that represents 137 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public about health care issues.