Dear Colleagues,
I had the privilege of representing MU Health Care this fall at the 2025 Boone County History Makers Hall of Fame Gala, an inspiring evening dedicated to honoring those who have shaped the vitality, history, and spirit of our community.
MU Health Care is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor of this event because Boone County’s story is also our story. From the opening of our first clinical training facility in 1901 to today’s academic health system with seven hospitals serving more than 320,000 patients across all 114 Missouri counties, our mission of saving and improving lives has always been rooted right here in Boone County.
Over the decades, as Boone County has grown by more than 180 percent, MU Health Care has grown alongside it. With the opening of the new Children’s Hospital, we remain committed to being the premier health system for our region.
While we take pride in our growth and accomplishments as an organization, the Gala served as a reminder that our greatest legacy lies in the people who make a lasting difference. This year’s honorees exemplified that spirit, especially our own Dr. Frank L. Mitchell Jr., who was the posthumous recipient of one of the awards. Dr. Mitchell’s name graces the Trauma Center at University Hospital.
Dr. Mitchell was a trailblazing trauma surgeon whose career at the University of Missouri spanned more than four decades. His pioneering vision transformed emergency medical care across mid-Missouri and beyond. He helped establish our ground ambulance service, the Staff for Life Helicopter Service, and led the creation of our Level I trauma program, which was renamed in his honor in 2002. Today, the Frank L. Mitchell Jr., MD, Trauma Center remains one of only six adult Level I trauma centers in Missouri verified by the American College of Surgeons.
Beyond his clinical impact, Dr. Mitchell was a leader and mentor who chaired University Physicians and guided countless students and physicians throughout his career. His devotion to patient care and education continues to inspire the work we do every day at MU Health Care.
On behalf of our entire health system, I want to thank the Boone County Historical Society for hosting this meaningful celebration and for allowing us to honor Dr. Mitchell’s enduring contributions. His life’s work continues to save and improve lives, shape the future of medicine, and strengthen the community we proudly serve.
Rick Barohn, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Hugh E. and Sarah D. Stephenson Dean, School of Medicine
rbarohn@health.missouri.edu
