Maryland Heights, Mo. (Nov. 18, 2025) – Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital has appointed Orrie Covert as its new Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President for the Ranken Jordan Foundation.
In his new role, Covert is responsible for advancing Ranken Jordan's vision of helping children with complex medical needs live their best lives through philanthropy. He leads the development team which includes specialists in major gifts, leadership gifts, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, special events, donor relations, and fundraising operations.
Covert will also serve as one of the hospital’s executive leaders on the Foundation Board of Trustees.
Officially launched July 1, 2025, the Ranken Jordan Foundation was created to focus exclusively on fundraising efforts to support Ranken Jordan and to ensure the hospital has the resources required to meet the unique needs of children and families with complex medical conditions. .
Covert will oversee the management of the Foundation and its fundraising efforts as well as shaping the team as the newly-created Foundation grows and evolves.
“I am honored to join the Ranken Jordan team,” Covert said. “I pursued a career in fundraising because it is a way for all of us to give back and help organizations reach aspirational goals. Ranken Jordan is the perfect example of what I set out to do–the hospital has implemented innovative and impactful initiatives, like its OZ program, with the help of donations big and small. Giving to Ranken Jordan has a direct impact on children and families in St. Louis and beyond, so I am looking forward to leading our incredible fundraising team and exploring what’s possible for children and their families when we reach our goals.”
Before joining Ranken Jordan, Covert was the Vice President for Advancement at Lindenwood University in St. Louis, where he increased fundraising by 350 percent.
Before Lindenwood, he served in leadership roles in higher education including as Vice President for University Advancement at the University of Texas at Tyler, Texas, and as Senior Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. In 2015, Covert’s University of Missouri fundraising team received the National Advancement Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), for contributions to fundraising.
“Fundraising at Ranken Jordan is more critical than ever as the number of children with complex medical needs continues to grow and the social support systems that these families rely on is increasingly at risk,” said Shawn Dryden, President and Chief Executive Officer for Ranken Jordan. “Having leaders like Orrie will be instrumental in elevating our fundraising capabilities to ensure we can provide even better support for more children and their families when they need us while also amplifying our ability to pioneer innovative practices with our unique care model, Care Beyond the Bedside. Orrie has such an impressive fundraising background, we are thrilled to work with him as we all strive to help medically complex children and their families live their best lives.”
Covert received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Graceland University as well as a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University. He resides in St. Charles, Mo.
To support Ranken Jordan, visit rankenjordanfoundation.org/donate.
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Media Contact: Haley Raymond, Leigh Walters Communications, haleyr@lwcstrategies.com
Ranken Jordan
Ranken Jordan is a pediatric bridge hospital that cares for kids from birth to 21 who are well enough to leave a traditional hospital but need help before they go home. The only hospital of its kind in Missouri and one of only a select few in the country, Ranken Jordan specializes in caring for children and their families with the most complex conditions, illnesses and injuries, bridging the gap between hospital and home. The 60-bed hospital uses an innovative care model, Care Beyond the Bedside, which gets children out of their hospital rooms, activating the healing power of play. Located in the heart of the Midwest, Ranken Jordan serves patients from across the region at its state-of-the-art facility.
