Scottish Rite for Children President and CEO Robert “Bob” L. Walker is the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for D CEO’s 2024 Excellence in Healthcare Awards. Each year, this award recognizes one leader in the North Texas community who has made a significant impact on health care throughout their career. Walker joined Scottish Rite in 1979, dedicating 45 years to serving children in Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond.

“Treating the whole child is at the heart of everything we do,” Walker said. “I’m grateful to be part of an institution like Scottish Rite for Children that distinguishes itself by caring for every child — in body, mind and spirit. It’s a true honor to lead alongside such a dedicated and one-of-a-kind team that not only believes in our mission but also embodies it every day.” Through this collective effort, Scottish Rite has become one of the top-ranked pediatric orthopedic facilities in the world.

The hospital has experienced tremendous growth, not only in meeting the increasing demand for health care in the North Texas community but also in advancing patient outcomes. In 2018, Scottish Rite expanded its operations by constructing a new campus in Frisco — the 345,000-square-foot Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center. The center serves children and adolescents who experience sports injuries and fractures, among other health care specialties. In 2022, at its Dallas campus, Scottish Rite unveiled a 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art surgical suite, including six new operating rooms, and later renovated and expanded its day surgery to provide more ambulatory surgical care. Its most recent offering, Therapy Services at The Star, opened in Frisco, which presents an additional location for young athletes to receive rehabilitation after a sports injury or to improve their sports performance. By investing in these opportunities, Scottish Rite has transformed the lives of thousands of patients through 217,713 patient encounters in its 2023 – 2024 fiscal year.  

Amid this growth, the organization has earned multiple awards. U.S. News & World Report ranks Scottish Rite for Children No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in Texas and the Southwest region for pediatric orthopedic care. In collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Scottish Rite has repeatedly garnered recognition from U.S. News for its commitment to excellence, consistently ranking the organization among the best pediatric orthopedic facilities in the United States. Since specialty rankings began in 2007, Scottish Rite has led the nation as a top 10 pediatric orthopedic hospital. In addition, NRC Health, a national health care performance improvement firm, honored Scottish Rite for Children, for the eighth time, with the Excellence in Patient Experience Award in the nationwide pediatric category. Walker attributes the hospital’s success to a committed Board of Trustees and a world-class medical staff who are recognized internationally for their excellence in clinical care, teaching and research.

Walker’s commitment to excellence also extends to creating a workplace where staff members thrive, resulting in the organization being named a “Top 100 Place to Work” by The Dallas Morning News for the seventh year in a row.

“I have worked with Bob for nearly 30 years, and it has been a pleasure to witness the ongoing advancement of the organization under his leadership,” said Lyndon L. Olson, Jr., Chairman of the Scottish Rite for Children Board of Trustees since 2006. “Bob continues to live each day for the children, and I am proud to have the privilege of working with him.”

Walker holds Fellowship status in the American College of Healthcare Executives. During his career, he has been active in many health care related organizations including the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, Texas Hospital Association, Children’s Hospital Association, American Hospital Association and June Shelton School and Evaluation Center. Physical fitness has also had a major impact on Walker’s life for nearly five decades. He has participated in many marathons and has run the Boston Marathon three times.

With more than four decades at Scottish Rite, Walker’s dedication to the organization’s mission and core values is evident in everything he does. Congratulations, Mr. Walker! We are proud to celebrate this achievement alongside you and are thankful for your unwavering dedication to Scottish Rite.