4518 Poplar Springs Drive  Meridian, Mississippi 39305   (601) 481-1430

A Vision to Serve
Chartered in 1998, The Riley Foundation is the modern evolution of a vision of service that began in1930. It is an extension of a dream to meet the needs and improve the quality of life for the people of Meridian and Lauderdale County.

Dr. Franklin Gail Riley

1889-1968

In 1930 this vision became reality when Dr. Franklin Gail Riley, the first residency-trained pediatrician in Mississippi and a founding member of the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics, founded a children's and maternity hospital. Riley Memorial Hospital was the first of its type in Mississippi and focused on serving the urgent health needs of children as well as the specialized needs of women. From a humble beginning with 12 beds, the hospital grew to 180 beds and continued to add specialized services and programs to meet the needs of a growing region.  

Dr. Riley's sons became physicians and eventually assumed leadership of the hospital, successfully guiding the facility through a complex healthcare environment. They created Riley Development Systems, Inc., which brought forth a multitude of programs and lines of business, and established a continuum of care. Their father's vision was realized, yet the brothers knew the community still faced unmet needs. 

Looking at the changing healthcare environment, the Board of Directors of Riley Development Systems sought options which would assure the continuation of the vision into the next millennium.

As Meridian grew, so did Riley Memorial Hospital.   This circa 1940's photograph depicts the original building of 20 beds.

By 1997, Riley Memorial Hospital had grown to become a 180-bed acute care and long-term medical complex offering numerous specialty and sub-specialty areas.

To accomplish this, the board signed a letter of intent with Health Management Associates of Naples, Florida, for the acquisition of the hospital and all its assets. Proceeds from the sale were used to establish The Riley Foundation, marking the beginning of a new era of service to Meridian and Lauderdale County.