Nick Barto

BJC Health System President and Chief Executive Officer

Nick Barto is president and chief executive officer of BJC Health System, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States and the largest in the state of Missouri, serving urban, suburban, and rural communities across Missouri, southern Illinois, eastern Kansas, and the greater Midwest region. One of the largest employers in Missouri, BJC operates as BJC HealthCare in its East Region and as Saint Luke’s in its West Region.

Nick was named chief executive officer on Oct. 1, 2025, in addition to his role as president of the nearly $12 billion organization. BJC Health System’s 48,000 employees provide care in 24 hospitals and at hundreds of care locations, including clinics, service organizations, and physician offices. BJC is nationally recognized for both its clinical excellence and culture and is committed to a longstanding legacy of service reflected by a $1.2 billion annual investment in the communities it serves.

Nick joined BJC HealthCare in 2018 as executive vice president and chief financial officer for BJC, a role in which he was responsible for the organization’s strategy, operations, and financial success. Nick led strategic growth and integration initiatives including collaboration and alignment with Washington University School of Medicine; played a critical role leading the system through the unprecedented financial challenges posed by COVID-19, ensuring BJC remained among the top performing systems in the nation; worked with clinical and operational leadership to establish BJC’s Business Intelligence and Data Solutions group; and led the partnership with Washington University to launch the Center for Health AI. He also oversaw corporate and operational finance, data and analytics, managed care/value-based contracting, revenue cycle, supply chain, treasury, and investments.

Prior to joining BJC Health System, Nick was senior vice president, corporate finance and investments, and chief financial officer for enterprise business lines at Catholic Health Initiatives (the predecessor to Common Spirit Health) and senior vice president, financial planning and analysis, at Novant Health. He previously held roles at McColl Partners, Lehman Brothers, and The Wilkerson Group.

Nick earned a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University. He is a member of the Health Care Industry Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the St. Louis Zoo Association. As CEO, Nick will serve on the boards of the Missouri Hospital Association, Greater St. Louis, Cortex, and as a member of the Washington University Board of Trustees. Previously, he served on the boards and advisory committees of ExceleraRx Corp., Consonance Capital Partners, Centura Health, US Acute Care Solutions, and Alta Partners, LLC.