Children’s Wisconsin announced that president and chief executive officer Peggy Troy announced she would retire by the end of December 2024.
The board of directors has retained the services of a national search firm with expertise in health care and formed a search committee to identify Troy’s successor.
“On behalf of our entire board of directors, we are filled with gratitude for Peggy’s leadership of Children’s Wisconsin for the past 15 years,” said Patrick Hammes, chair of the Children’s Wisconsin board of directors and the search committee. “Her tenure has been nothing short of transformative for those we serve, and all who care about and advance our mission. On our Milwaukee Campus, in our clinics and throughout our community, Peggy’s commitment to putting kids first is evident in all we do. While filling her shoes will be no small task, we will do so with the clarity and confidence that Children’s Wisconsin is well positioned to continue making a difference in the lives of the kids and families we serve both now and well into the future.”
Starting her career as a pediatric nurse at Children’s Hospital in 1975, Troy was appointed president and CEO of Children’s Wisconsin, the first woman to serve in this role. Under Troy’s leadership, Children’s Wisconsin has grown its footprint to more than 50 locations throughout the state including a hospital in Neenah. Children’s Wisconsin has 6.5 million touchpoints with kids and families every year.
Children’s Wisconsin was named one of the nation’s first Level I Children’s Surgery Centers, the highest level of distinction for hospitals that perform complex pediatric surgical procedures. The hospital also has been designated with Magnet Recognition Program status four consecutive times.
In 2019, Children’s Wisconsin launched a 5-year, $150 million investment to address the mental and behavioral health challenges facing Wisconsin children. The hospital created walk-in mental health clinics to integrate mental wellness into daily pediatric and specialty care deliver. This emphasis on innovation also can be seen at the recently unveiled new Emergency Department and Level I Trauma Center at the Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee hospital campus.
“It continues to be the honor of my lifetime to serve as president and CEO of Children’s Wisconsin,” said Troy. “Thanks to the compassion and expertise of our 6,000 plus medical providers and staff, and the dedication of our partners, benefactors and community leaders, we have made tremendous strides in driving innovation that cares for every aspect of kids’ total health — physical, mental, social and dental. Whether routine or the most complex, this work binds our current and future leaders to our vision of helping kids in Wisconsin become the healthiest in the nation. As the search begins for the next president and CEO, I remain as dedicated as ever to our mission. In addition, our team and I will work closely with our board and my successor to affect a smooth transition.”
The search for the next leader of Children’s Wisconsin will begin shortly following input from key stakeholders into the desired skills and attributes of the next president and CEO. The search will be national in scope and is expected to be complete in 2024.
