BJC Health System’s new CEO takes over
Nick Barto started in his new role Wednesday. He succeeds Rich Liekweb, who announced his plans to step down in the summer.
One of the larger nonprofit health systems in America now has new leadership.
Nick Barto is the new president and CEO of BJC Health System, based in St. Louis, Missouri. The system operates 24 hospital campuses.
Nick Barto is now serving as president and CEO of BJC Health System, based in St. Louis, Missouri. He began the new role on Wednesday.
Barto succeeds the retiring Rich Liekweg, who led BJC Health System since 2018 and has been with the system for 16 years. Liekweg announced his plans to retire in the summer, wrapping up a career that lasted nearly four decades.
With the changing of the guard, Barto takes over an academic health system with 24 hospital campuses and 48,000 employees. The organization was formed by the merger of BJC HealthCare and Saint Luke’s Health System in 2024, and the system serves communities across Missouri and parts of Kansas and Illinois. BJC is the largest private employer in Missouri.
Barto joined BJC in 2018, first serving as chief financial officer and later becoming president of BJC Health System in 2023. He has spent more than 30 years in the healthcare industry.
“Since joining BJC, I’ve seen the unwavering dedication of our caregivers across our hospitals, clinics, and behind the scenes each and every day,” Barto said in a statement. “I’m honored to lead BJC Health System as we continue working together to provide extraordinary care with patients at the center of all we do and strengthen our legacy as a mission-oriented academic health care leader for generations to come.”
Greg Bentz, chairman of the BJC Health System board of directors, said Barto’s rise to the CEO position represents “an exciting new chapter.”
“With more than three decades of health care and operations experience, he brings a deep understanding of what it takes to lead with purpose in an industry undergoing tremendous change,” Bentz said in a statement. “Nick’s dedication to building a vibrant culture, investing in the diverse communities we serve, and guiding BJC through intentional growth will serve as a strong foundation for the work ahead.”
Barto played an important role in the merger of BJC and Saint Luke’s, based in Kansas City. The system also said Barto helped extend BJC’s long affiliation agreement with Washington University and its medical school.
He also helped broker an agreement with BJC’s St. Louis Children’s Hospital and CoxHealth in Springfield, Missouri to expand pediatric care. They agreed to build a pediatric hospital within the walls of CoxHealth, along with an outpatient facility that will include specialty care clinics and surgical services.
“Bringing this top-quality care to Springfield and the region will help kids live long and healthy lives, and relieve so much stress on families by having the specialty care they need in their home community,” Barto said in a post on LinkedIn.
BJC recently completed a new, 16-story tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, offering 224 private inpatient rooms and 56 private intensive care unit rooms.
Barto also served as a senior vice president and chief financial officer of Catholic Health Initiatives, and senior vice president at Novant Health.
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