2026 List Again Recognizes Bill Arnold, CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
New Brunswick, NJ, October 15, 2026 – Bill Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJUH (BMSCH) and the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, RWJBarnabas Health facilities, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s list of Academic Medical Center CEOs to Know for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s list recognized just 95 leaders of academic medical centers and health systems across the U.S. They are at the forefront of the industry and redefining state-of-the-art patient care at the helm of some of the most complex and influential organizations in healthcare.
RWJUH is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Rutgers Cancer Institute. It is home to the NJ’s top Children’s Hospital with the highest national rankings from U.S. News & World Report and the state’s only freestanding cancer hospital. RWJUH delivers quaternary care, pioneers clinical research and is training the next generation of physicians and clinical professionals in adult and pediatric medicine.
RWJUH is a 724-bed inpatient hospital, which includes 105 beds at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital and 97 beds at the Morris Cancer Center. It is a state-accredited acute pediatric-care facility that is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals. RWJUH is one of only three state-accredited Level 1 Trauma Centers, and is a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. It draws people from across the country for its ground‐breaking clinical services across its centers of excellence, which are supported by renowned physicians and the Magnet Recognized nursing staff.
Since assuming his role in January 2021, Mr. Arnold has driven transformational change at the hospital by working alongside the medical school to recruit internationally renowned physician scientists, as well as by assembling a hospital administrative team with significant experience from premier academic medical centers to further RWJUH’s culture of continuous improvement in quality, clinical effectiveness and exceptional patient experience. He is currently overseeing more than $2 billion in capital expansion in New Brunswick, which includes the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, a 15-story Ambulatory Services Pavilion for specialty care, and a seven-year project to expand the hospital’s surgical services facilities.
Mr. Arnold is driven to influence standard of care nationally and provide equitable access to true academic medicine for the residents of New Jersey close to home. He is a past chair of the Board of Trustees at the New Jersey Hospital Association and is also the President of the RWJBarnabas Health Southern Region. In the past year, Mr. Arnold received the “Outstanding Healthcare Executive” award from the EJI Excellence in Medicine Foundation and was named to NJBIZ‘s “People to Watch” and “Power” lists.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org