John Duval, a visionary VCU Health leader, dies at 73

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John Duval, who led VCU Health through more than a decade of significant growth as CEO of VCU Hospitals and Clinics and vice president for clinical affairs, died on June 9 in Tucson, Arizona. He was 73.

Duval retired in 2016 after 13 years in the role, and colleagues throughout Virginia Commonwealth University recall his dynamic leadership, strategic vision and extraordinary care for patients and team members.

"John Duval was a dedicated champion for the health and well-being of all Virginians," said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. "His relentless focus on patient safety and clinical excellence drove new transformations at VCU Health, including an expanded footprint, recognition as the top-ranked hospital in Virginia and as one of the best hospitals in the country. John's legacy is one of a visionary leader and trusted partner whose warmth, integrity and profound care for our patients and colleagues have left an indelible mark."

At VCU Health, Duval's focus on patient safety and quality of care led to numerous accolades for VCU Medical Center. Among them: the American Hospital Association's top honor for leadership and innovation in safety and quality improvement, as well as recognition as one of the best hospitals in the country and the No. 1 ranking in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report.

"We are truly grateful to John Duval for leading VCU Health with the compassion, motivation and strength to help us achieve such ambitious goals," said VCU Health CEO Marlon Levy, M.D. "He transformed VCU Medical Center - both in our facilities and the quality of care - and embodied our mission to preserve and restore the health of all Virginians. His impact propelled our academic health system into the next chapter and left a lasting legacy among the VCU Health community. He will be forever remembered as one of our seminal and transformational leaders."

Duval led VCU Health during a period of tremendous growth, including the additions of Children's Hospital of Richmond and Community Memorial Hospital. He laid the groundwork for the system's expansion beyond downtown Richmond and was pivotal in the completion of the Critical Care Hospital and the Children's Pavilion.

Lauren Moore, president and CEO of Children's Hospital Foundation, fondly recalls Duval's participation in the foundation's annual "Dancing with the Richmond Stars" fundraising event.

"He was wildly competitive and even bought numerous additional dance lessons and practiced every night in order to bring home the illustrious mirror ball trophy that he proudly displayed in his office," Moore said. "Even after retirement and his move back to Arizona, he sent me photos from his office to show me that the trophies were still there. John was a dear friend, a mentor and an extraordinary leader for our health system."

In addition to his role at VCU Health, Duval represented the university and health system in numerous leadership and board positions at the state and national level. His service included roles with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, the American College of Healthcare Executives (for which he was a fellow), the American and Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Associations and the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Sheryl Garland, chief of health impact at VCU Health and a friend of Duval, remembered him as a trailblazer.

"John was a visionary leader who set bold goals, built the confidence in the VCU Health team members to believe they were achievable and skillfully guided us toward success," she said. "He taught us that no challenge was too big to tackle, especially if it would result in improving the services provided to the communities we served. John made you believe in his visions and then showed you the way to make it happen. He was an exceptional leader and mentor who will be missed."

After retiring from VCU Health, Duval moved to Tucson with his family. For the six years before joining VCU, Duval was chief operating officer of University Medical Center at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson.

In 2026, he and his wife, Valli, established the John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professorship for Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine to support cancer research.

Duval earned an MBA and an undergraduate degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine. He is survived by his wife; children, Dari and Devin; and three grandchildren.