OU Health Inaugural CEO Dr. Richard Lofgren Announces June 2026 Retirement

The OU Health Board of Directors today announced that Dr. Richard P. Lofgren, M.D., MPH, the organization's inaugural president and CEO, will retire effective June 30, 2026, following a distinguished four-year tenure that delivered one of the most significant academic health system transformations in the nation. His planned retirement caps a 40-year career as a transformative academic healthcare executive and national thought leader. As part of a thoughtful and deliberate succession plan, the OU Health Board of Directors has selected Jonathan W. Curtright, MBA, MHA, current chief operating officer, to succeed Dr. Lofgren as president and CEO effective July 1, 2026.

Since 2022, OU Health has reshaped its operations and scale, positioning itself among a rising cohort of academic health systems demonstrating sustained organic expansion. Annual revenue has increased from $1.9 billion and is trending toward $3.6 billion, driven by higher patient volumes and service intensity rather than acquisitions. Admissions rose 22.3% over the period, with nearly one million outpatient clinic visits recorded statewide. The system also expanded its clinical workforce, recruiting 162 nationally and internationally recognized physician specialists. Operational gains were accompanied by improvements in care quality, including hospital-acquired infection rates and mortality outcomes.

This transformation was made possible through the collaborative leadership of Dr. Lofgren, Curtright, and the leadership team they built together, as well as through exceptional alignment with the University of Oklahoma. State legislative leaders committed historic resources while University leadership aligned academic, research and clinical missions with OU College of Medicine faculty and researchers — all in pursuit of a shared vision to fundamentally transform healthcare outcomes for all Oklahomans. This progress represents the foundation, not the finish line, as the work continues under Curtright, the OU Health executive team, and the University.

“What many Oklahomans may not fully realize is the sheer magnitude of what has been accomplished at OU Health,” said G. Rainey Williams Jr., chair of the OU Health Board of Directors. “OU Health's transformation represents one of the most profound healthcare transformations in the nation. From day one, Dr. Lofgren brought a clarity of purpose and an unwavering vision that OU Health exists to 'care for the sickest of the sick.' We have paired bold vision with disciplined, transformational leadership, turning aspiration into measurable progress at every level of the organization. Dr. Lofgren’s leadership is grounded in a deep responsibility to the people of Oklahoma: building a health system capable of delivering the highest levels of care, advancing research and discovery, and educating the next generation of health professionals. This rare combination of conviction and execution across the entire team is what has made this transformation both real and enduring.”

The OU Health Board of Directors underwent thoughtful and deliberate succession planning, ultimately selecting Curtright as the incoming president and CEO upon Dr. Lofgren’s retirement.

“When Dr. Lofgren was selected to lead OU Health in 2022, we knew he was the right leader for this pivotal moment in our history, said the University of Oklahoma President and OU Health Board Director Joseph Harroz, Jr. “The University of Oklahoma and its academic health system have made remarkable strides in advancing the health of Oklahomans, but we must remain clear-eyed and strategic about our future. The work ahead is significant, but so is our commitment to the people of Oklahoma. We have full confidence that this work will continue under Jonathan Curtright’s leadership."

Harroz added, “This alignment between OU and OU Health is not accidental; it reflects a shared commitment to advance knowledge, train future leaders and deliver the highest level of care where it is needed most. Together, we stand as a powerful engine for opportunity, discovery and healing, one that serves as a source of pride for our state and a catalyst for long-term advancement. The transformation Rick Lofgren and Jonathan Curtright have led — alongside their dedicated team — is not just institutional; it is a transformation that will elevate health, education and innovation across Oklahoma for generations to come.”

OU Health Transformation Scorecard

CLINICAL GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE:

• Quality Improvement: Hospital-acquired infection rates have improved from the bottom 10% nationally to the top 10%, demonstrating exceptional improvements in patient safety and clinical excellence.
• Patient Experience: Nearly 5% increase brings performance to 66.32%, underscoring a meaningful and sustained upward trajectory, reflecting commitment to OU Health Way values.
• Talent Recruitment: A net 162 new physician positions, all internationally and nationally renowned specialists recruited from premier academic institutions across the country — establishing OU Health as a destination medical center for the most complex care.

STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS AND PROGRAM EXPANSION:

• Worked with federal and state government officials to accelerate investment for access to advanced subspecialty care and clinical trials for all Oklahomans, including pediatric heart, pediatric behavioral health and cancer care.
• Pediatric Heart Program: Oversaw just over a $200 million investment in destination care for pediatric heart services in partnership with state officials and philanthropic partners.
• Stephenson Cancer Center: Went from treating 1 in 6 Oklahomans with cancer to 1 in 4, establishing OU Health as a regional destination for comprehensive cancer care and the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. Expanded to three new locations, including Norman, Tulsa and McAlester.
• Partnership Initiatives: Partnered with Stillwater Medical Center to establish a Level II NICU to help families stay closer to home for advanced care.

RECOGNITION:

• Top 100 Hospital for OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center by Becker's Healthcare (2025)
• 100 Great Neuro and Spine Programs by Becker's Healthcare (2025)
• 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs by Becker's Healthcare (2025)
• Top Places to Work by Becker's Healthcare (2024, 2025)
• Great Companies to Work For by Oklahoma Magazine (2024, 2025)
• Oklahomans of the Year by Oklahoma Magazine (2025)
• Most Admired CEOs in Oklahoma (Nonprofit Winner) by The Journal Record (2025)
• Academic Medical Center CEOs to Know by Becker's Healthcare (2023, 2024 and 2025)
• 30 Highly Successful CEO-CFO Duos — Dr. Richard Lofgren & Jim Watson — by Becker's Healthcare (2024)
• Great Leaders in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare (2025)
• 61 CEO Influencers to Know by Becker's Healthcare (2025)

Planned Succession and Leadership Continuity

Dr. Lofgren brought over 40 years of distinguished executive healthcare leadership to OU Health, including transformational work at UC Health (University of Cincinnati), UK HealthCare (University of Kentucky), and Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Lofgren recruited Curtright in August 2022 to serve as chief operating officer and co-architect in building both the transformation strategy and the executive team needed to execute it. Working in close partnership with the University of Oklahoma, OU College of Medicine and federal and state leaders, Dr. Lofgren and Curtright have carefully orchestrated strategic growth and operational excellence, recognizing the transformational value an academic health system brings to the state by providing advanced, complex care for the sickest of the sick across all 77 counties

Together, they recruited and developed leaders across clinical operations, finance, quality, physician services and strategic growth — creating a leadership bench with depth and continuity that positions OU Health for accelerated momentum and growth.

Curtright brings more than 30 years of senior healthcare leadership experience, including 15 years in C-suite roles. As former CEO of MU Health Care (University of Missouri) and through leadership positions at Indiana University Health, UK HealthCare and Mayo Clinic, Curtright has demonstrated exceptional capability in leading complex academic health systems — experience that, combined with his deep understanding of OU Health's mission and strategic direction, positions him to lead the organization forward with accelerated momentum

"Arriving in Oklahoma to help establish the state's flagship academic health system has been an honor," said Dr. Richard P. Lofgren, president and CEO of OU Health. "Academic health systems exist to serve the state in ways that meaningfully change outcomes, ensure access to top-tier research and specialty care, while developing the brightest minds in healthcare. Our commitment to caring for the sickest of the sick has solidified our place as the leader in delivering complex, high-acuity care — something Oklahomans across all 77 counties deserve and expect. I am proud of the entire OU Health team — from our clinical frontlines to our executive leadership — for delivering this promise every day. OU Health is well-positioned to advance and deliver the academic healthcare promise to Oklahomans for generations to come."

The OU Health Board of Directors extends gratitude to the entire OU Health team — from frontline caregivers to executive leadership — whose commitment to excellence has made this transformation possible. The organization's success reflects the collective effort of thousands of dedicated professionals united in the mission to care for the sickest of the sick and advance health outcomes across Oklahoma.