Liekweg Begins Service as Missouri Hospital Association Board Chair

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Richard J. Liekweg, President and CEO of BJC HealthCare in St. Louis, was elected to serve as 2023 Chair of the Missouri Hospital Association Board of Trustees. His one-year term as chair began Jan. 1.

As chair, Liekweg’s duties include overseeing and directing activities of the MHA Board of Trustees, acting as a day-to-day adviser to MHA, and testifying before committees of the Missouri General Assembly and Congress. He also will lead a Missouri delegation to Washington, D.C., twice during the year and will act as a state and national spokesperson for Missouri’s hospitals.

“Rich’s service comes at an important time for Missouri’s hospitals,” said Jon D. Doolittle, MHA President and CEO. “As the state’s hospitals address the pandemic’s influence on finance, the health care workforce and health disparities, strong and visionary leadership will be needed to refocus on delivery of health and care. Rich is the right leader at the right time.”

Liekweg joined BJC HealthCare in 2009 as President of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Group President for BJC HealthCare. He served as Executive Vice President and, subsequently, President of BJC between 2015 and when he was selected as President and CEO in January 2018. Before joining BJC, Liekweg served from 2003 to 2009 as CEO and as Associate Vice Chancellor for the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. He also served for 16 years at Duke University Health System.

He serves on several professional and community boards, including Vizient, Washington University, MHA, Cortex, St. Louis Regional Health Commission, Greater St. Louis, Inc., BioSTL and Forest Park Forever.

Liekweg earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, as well as master’s degrees in health services administration and business administration, both from the University of Michigan.

The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association in Jefferson City that represents 140 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.

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