Ryan Gehrig Named President At St. Edward Mercy Health In Fort Smith

Ryan Gehrig, a former student of Subiaco Academy, has been named the new president of St. Edward Mercy Health in Fort Smith. His first official day on the job is April 9.

Gehrig, 39, is the replacement for former Mercy CEO Jeff Johnston who began Sept. 1 as the president of St. John’s Mercy in St. Louis — the largest hospital among the 28 in the St. Louis-based Sisters of Mercy network.

“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 statement. “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 will report to Day, who is based in Springfield, Mo.

Gehrig most recently worked at Norman, Okla., for the Norman Regional Health System where he was vice-president of enterprise systems and chief administrative officer for Moore Medical Center — one of the health system’s three hospital facilities. His past work also includes COO of Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg, Miss.; CEO of Bristow Medical Center; and COO of Cushing Regional Hospital as part of Hillcrest Healthcare System in Tulsa.

He also attended Subiaco Academy for four years (9th-12th grades), and is the president of the Subiaco alumni association.