As president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System for the past five years, Rick Merrill led the organization at a time of unprecedented growth; including the historic expansion of Cook Children’s Medical Center which nearly doubled the size of the campus to respond to the growing need for its services. Under Merrill’s leadership, Cook Children’s began a new era by streamlining its mission and vision into a Promise to improve the health of every child in the region through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury.

In 2009, Cook Children’s lead a monumental endeavor to understand the state of children’s health in its six county service area by conducting its first community-wide children’s health assessment and planning survey (CCHAPS). The first known project of its kind focused solely on the overall health status of children; this rich data will help Cook Children’s and its community partners to develop solutions to improve children’s health.

As a not-for-profit, nationally recognized pediatric healthcare organization, Cook Children’s Health Care System is comprised of eight entities – a Medical Center, Physician Network, Home Health company, Northeast Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Center, Health Plan, Health Services, Inc., and Health Foundation. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Cook Children’s has more than 60 primary and specialty care offices throughout North Texas.

Prior to joining Cook Children’s, Merrill served as the president and CEO at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in South Texas for eight years. Prior to joining Driscoll, he served as Administrator/Chief Operating Officer at Medical City Dallas and as senior executive vice president/Chief Operating Officer at Hillcrest Health System in Waco, Texas. With more than 27 years of healthcare experience, Rick has worked in leadership roles in for-profit, not-for-profit and academic health care facilities.

He continues to actively serve on numerous national, state and community advisory boards; most recently, as Chair-Elect for the Dallas - Fort Worth Hospital Council and as a new member of the Board of Directors for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

A Texas native, he received a Bachelor of Science from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from Trinity University.

Rick is married with two daughters.

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