Archie Griffin served as CEO of the organization for 11 years. He worked for many years as the Chief Financial Officer before being named Chief Executive Officer. He is credited for upgrading the organization’s technology. Griffin understood the importance of combining technology and healthcare. He can be credited with starting the first Electronic Health Records or (EHR).
Under Griffin, patient access points were added at Prince Hall, Riverview (Florence Hill) and Whittier (Homer G. Phillips). Additionally, Griffin was responsible for raising the capital for a brand new state of the art facility on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.
A savvy businessman Griffin received the building on Whittier from the City as well as the Riverview location. Both locations have a historical connection.
The Whittier site was previously home to St. Louis’ premier black hospital, Homer G. Phillips. Homer G. Phillips trained the largest number of black doctors and nurses in the world for many decades beginning in 1937.
Patients know the Riverview site as Florence Hill. Griffin was also instrumental is obtaining this site from local officials. Florence Hill was the name of a nurse who was employed by the City of St. Louis.