David L. Callender, a 1980 Midwestern State University graduate, was recently named the new president and chief executive officer of the Memorial Hermann Health System.

Callender, a head and neck surgeon from Wichita Falls, has significant experience leading academic health systems and has been a longtime leader in Texas Medical Center institutions. He has served as president of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) since 2007 and led that campus through a transformative recovery over the last decade following Hurricane Ike. His new appointment is effective Sept. 1, according to a Texas Medical Center release.

Callender will succeed the retiring Charles "Chuck" D. Stokes, who has served as Memorial Hermann's president and CEO since June 2017.

"Dr. Callender is a natural choice for this role given his exceptional track record in the Greater Houston region expanding access to care and advancing groundbreaking research to help people get healthy and stay healthy," Memorial Hermann Board Chair Deborah M. Cannon said in a statement. "It's clear that Dr. Callender cares deeply for this community and, through his leadership at UTMB Health, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to foster a healthier environment for all. We are thrilled to welcome a leader who will preserve and strengthen Memorial Hermann's legacy of serving Greater Houston with pride and distinction, making him the ideal successor to Chuck, whose leadership has been instrumental in helping Memorial Hermann thrive and flourish during an era of change in the healthcare industry."

Callender received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he also completed his residency. He finished an oncology fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, received an MBA at the University of Houston and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Callender served as UCLA Health's associate vice chancellor and CEO from 2004 to 2007. He previously served in several leadership roles during more than 20 years with MD Anderson. He culminated his tenure there as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"Memorial Hermann, together with its physician partners, is doing great work to make health care more affordable and more accessible for the residents of Greater Houston," Callender said in a news release. "I have been inspired by Memorial Hermann's efforts to bring value-based, more personalized care to our communities, and I'm excited and honored to now help lead the way as we work to extend those efforts by delivering exceptional patient experiences and improving outcomes for all."

After Hurricane Ike caused more than $1 billion in damage to the university's Galveston campus in 2008, Callender led UTMB's unprecedented reconstruction and revitalization effort which resulted in building a more resilient infrastructure that can support the university's mission well into the future, the news release said.

Callender was the featured commencement speaker for the Spring 2007 MSU graduation ceremony. He was selected as a Distinguished Alumni honoree for MSU in 2005 for the College of Science & Mathematics.

"As I near retirement, I'm pleased to hand over the reins to Dr. Callender, a trusted and experienced healthcare leader with a passion for creating healthier communities. I believe Dr. Callender is the right person to help guide Memorial Hermann into the future," Stokes said to healthcarefinancenews.com.