Children's Mercy Welcomes New Board Chair, Vice Chair and Board Member
Children’s Mercy today announced that Kevin Barth has been named Chair of its Board of Directors and Mark Jorgenson has been named Vice Chair.
Barth, the Chairman & CEO of the Kansas City Region for Commerce Bank, and Executive Vice President of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., has a long history of leadership in the Kansas City business and civic community. For the past two years, he served as the Vice Chair on the Children’s Mercy Board of Directors.
Jorgenson joined the Children’s Mercy Board of Directors last year. A retired financial services executive and former Executive Vice President and Head of Community Banking for U.S. Bank, he remains active in the Kansas City business and civic community, serving on several boards including President of the KC2026 Board of Directors, The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Hall Family Foundation, Hunt Midwest Enterprises and the Police Foundation Board of Kansas City.
Barth succeeds Diane Gallagher, Senior Vice President, Civic & Community Initiatives, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, who joined the Children’s Mercy Board of Directors in 2021 and became Board Chair in 2024. Although her Chair term is up, she will continue to serve as a member of the board.
“Kevin, Mark and Diane lead with both heart and purpose, and their dedication to children and families has made a lasting difference across our community,” said Alejandro Quiroga, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Children’s Mercy. “As we enter an exciting new chapter marked by significant growth, their ongoing service will be critical in shaping the future of Children’s Mercy. Together, they will help guide our vision to bring exceptional pediatric care and cures to more kids and families.”
“It is a true honor to serve as Chair of the Children’s Mercy Board of Directors and to support an organization that has touched the lives of so many across our region and beyond,” said Barth. “I have long admired the compassion, expertise and dedication of the Children’s Mercy team, and I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members and the organization’s leadership to help carry this important work forward.”
“Serving as Board Chair has been one of the great privileges of my life, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of an organization that means so much to children and families, including mine,” said Gallagher. “Children’s Mercy is a place filled with extraordinary people doing extraordinary work, and I look forward to continuing to serve in this next chapter.”
Children’s Mercy also welcomes Terry Bassham to its Board of Directors. Bassham brings decades of business, legal and financial leadership experience to the position. He retired in 2021 after a 30-year career in the public utility industry, including serving as CEO, COO and CFO of Evergy and its predecessor, Kansas City Power & Light. During his tenure, he helped lead major growth milestones, including the acquisition of Aquila and the merger of Great Plains Energy and Westar, which significantly expanded the company’s regional footprint. He also brings a strong legal and finance background that includes previous leadership roles as CFO and general counsel at El Paso Electric and a Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s University.
“I’m honored to join the Children’s Mercy Board of Directors and support an organization that means so much to families across our region,” said Bassham. “Children’s Mercy has earned the trust of this community through its exceptional care, compassion and commitment to children, and I look forward to contributing to that work with the board and leadership team.”