Since 1991, Susan Barrett has been a part of the St. Louis-based Mercy organization, when she joined Mercy Health System of Kansas as director of outreach services. She was named chief operating officer of Mercy Hospital in Independence, Kan., later that year, before taking over as president and CEO of Mercy Health System of Kansas. Barrett moved to Rogers in 1999 to accept the role of president and CEO of Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas.