Gary Mecklenburg is recognized as one of the nation’s leading healthcare executives. In 2006, he retired after 21 years as president and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. His distinguished career includes senior management positions at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals, Stanford University Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Franciscan Healthcare in Milwaukee.

Mr. Mecklenburg’s national leadership has included serving as chairman of the American Hospital Association, the Illinois Hospital Association, the Health Forum, National Alliance for Information Technology, and the Healthcare Research and Development Institute. He also serves on the boards of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. Mr. Mecklenburg is a board member of Becton Dickinson and Company.

Today, Mr. Mecklenburg is Executive Partner of Waud Capital Partners, a Lake Forest-based private equity firm. In that role he chairs the boards of Regency Hospital Company, Hospitalists Management Group, and is a member of the board of Acadia Healthcare.

Among his many professional activities, Mr. Mecklenburg has been a passionate advocate for leadership and workforce development, for healthcare information technology, and for improving diversity through mentoring. He is a frequent speaker and university lecturer and serves on the Advisory Board for the Kellogg School of Management.

Mr. Mecklenburg received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago.