Albert L. Wright, Jr.

Photo by WVU University Relations.

By Arianna Whitehair

“The most impactful leaders are those who are great at listening and can connect with and relate to people in a very genuine and authentic fashion,” says Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the West Virginia University (WVU) Health System

Wright is the kind of person many would consider a natural-born leader, exuding confidence, sharp communication and empathy in everything he does.

He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Toledo, his Master of Health Administration from Ohio State University and his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Florida and now serves as the CEO of West Virginia’s largest employer.

While he has had many mentors that helped him rise to the level of success he enjoys today, Wright cites Cheryl Herbert and John Innocenti as some of the most influential.

“Cheryl’s greatest talent was challenging her team members and the people around her to think big, even when doing so is difficult,” Wright says. “John taught me the importance of being a great communicator, sharing everything you know with people in the organization and always being honest and ethical.”

As president and CEO of the WVU Health System, Wright knows how important effective communication is when it comes to running a large and complex organization.

“The past few years have been especially challenging for health care due to the pandemic,” he says. “We’re now also managing the challenges of a widespread respiratory illness in children that is stressing our new children’s hospital, as well as a bad flu season. Leading a large organization like ours during such a challenging time reinforces the need to be highly communicative and transparent with team members at all levels.”

Under Wright’s leadership, WVU Medicine has become nationally and internationally recognized for its clinical achievements and is now a top performer among academic health systems across the nation in terms of quality and patient safety. Wright’s bold vision to build a highly integrated and comprehensive network of care and his unyielding pursuit of excellence steered the organization over the past several years and guided its decisions at all levels.

“My job allows me to connect with West Virginians across the whole state at a very organic, grassroots level,” he says. “As I worked with many of the community and rural hospitals that have joined the health system since my arrival, I spent many hours with their board members and in their communities learning about them, their needs and their challenges. I think I have been in every corner of the state, not only at our hospitals but at our rural clinics, which are in some of West Virginia’s most remote areas. Understanding and embracing that local perspective has shaped me and shaped how we developed as an organization.”

Wright considers his greatest achievement to be the time he has spent helping build a comprehensive network of care across the state and region.

“As the academic health system of the state’s land-grant university, we are obligated to ensure the health care needs of all West Virginians are met. Building a network that provides easy access is our top priority,” Wright says.

Dedicated to improving the quality and availability of health care in the Appalachian region, Wright looks forward to continuing the legacy of his organization through leadership and collaborative work with his team.

“Throughout my professional journey, I have always been guided by my desire to make positive impacts and lasting changes where I work,” he says. “Serving as the WVU Health System’s president and CEO has been a real honor and privilege. I truly do consider myself to be the luckiest person in the world.”

A firm believer in developing and growing a new generation of leaders, Wright enjoys mentoring others.

“I’m constantly mentoring people,” he says. “Investing time to mentor people and help them become great leaders is the obligation and responsibility of every senior leader.”

Knowing how important it is to give back to the community, Wright spent many years as a youth soccer coach and served on multiple boards.

“There’s so much to love about West Virginia—the people, the culture, the traditions, the mindset, the geography—the list goes on and on,” he says. “I also love it here as I feel we’re making a real difference for people across West Virginia and the broader region.”