FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Experienced healthcare executive to lead next phase of regional healthcare, education and community development initiative
MIDLAND-ODESSA, Texas — October 7, 2026 — The Beacon today announced the appointment of Richie Splitt, MS, MBA, FACHE, as Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience to the nearly 800-acre development taking shape between Midland and Odessa.
Splitt succeeds Russell Meyers, who is retiring after helping lead The Beacon through a significant period of development and regional collaboration. The leadership transition comes as The Beacon continues advancing its vision to improve healthcare access and quality across the Permian Basin through strategic investment and collaboration in healthcare, education, research and community development.
“The Beacon has reached an exciting point in its development, and Richie brings the combination of healthcare leadership, strategic vision and collaborative experience we need to build on that momentum,” said Don Evans, Chairman of The Beacon Board of Directors. “He understands how to bring healthcare organizations, educational institutions and community partners together around a shared vision, and he has a proven ability to move complex, transformational initiatives forward. We are excited to welcome Richie to the Permian Basin and confident his leadership will help advance The Beacon’s mission for years to come.”
Splitt brings more than 30 years of health system leadership experience to The Beacon. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Norman Regional Health System in Norman, Oklahoma, where he led Inspire Health, a $310 million transformation that included the new Porter Health Village campus.
During his tenure, Splitt helped expand the system’s connections to healthcare and higher education, bringing a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center site to Norman Regional through an academic affiliation with OU Health, launching an ACGME-accredited emergency medicine residency with Oklahoma State University and establishing a satellite campus of the OU Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing. Earlier in his tenure, he led the rebuilding of Moore Medical Center following the 2013 EF-5 tornado.
Splitt also served eight years on the board of LifeCare Health Services, a 17-hospital collaborative, and currently serves as a strategic advisor to Oklahoma’s $1 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. He was named a Most Admired CEO by The Journal Record in 2020.
“The Beacon is one of the most exciting healthcare projects in the country, and I’m honored to join at such an important time,” Splitt said. “I look forward to building on the work already underway and collaborating with our partners across the Permian Basin to expand access to care and serve the people who will benefit from this shared vision.”
The Beacon is a multi-phase master development located between Midland and Odessa that brings together medical institutions, universities, civic leaders and philanthropic partners around a shared regional vision. Its work focuses on expanding access to care, improving health outcomes, strengthening the healthcare workforce, advancing rural health initiatives and investing in infrastructure to support the Permian Basin’s long-term growth.
Splitt is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds an MBA from Oklahoma City University, a Master of Science from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma.
About The Beacon
The Beacon is a nearly 800-acre, multi-phase development strategically located between Midland and Odessa, Texas. The initiative brings together healthcare providers, educational institutions and community partners to improve healthcare access and quality while strengthening the long-term health and vitality of the Permian Basin. Learn more at thebeaconpermian.com.
Media Contact:
Barkley Castro
P: 432.552.2446
E: barkley.castro@thebeaconpermian.com