Edgar L. Tucker, B.A., M.P.H., FACHE was appointed director of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in February 2001. In this capacity, he is charged with management of one of the most complex VA medical centers in the country with more than 3,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $514 million. In addition to caring for more than 116,000 Southeast Texas veterans, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston also serves as a regional and national referral center for many services including cardiac surgery, neurological disorders, radiation therapy, and spinal cord injury care.

Prior to his appointment as director of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Mr. Tucker served as director of the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System and prior to that appointment, he was director of the Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Tucker’s 34 years of federal service include VA positions in Cincinnati, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Fort Meade, South Dakota; Temple, Texas; Topeka, Kansas; and Leavenworth, Kansas.

Mr. Tucker’s exceptional leadership skills and commitment to the provision of high quality health care services to America’s veterans is well recognized.  He is a frequent recipient of honors and awards including the Federal Executive of the Year 2002 Houston/Galveston Area and two Hammer Awards for his leadership in the development of the Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) program, now implemented nationwide. Tucker also was presented the first Undersecretary’s Patient Safety Award for this initiative. In April 2005, President George W. Bush honored Mr. Tucker for his exceptional long-term accomplishments as a career senior executive with the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. In 2008, he was selected as VA's Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program preceptor of the year.

Mr. Tucker is a graduate of Miami University and received a Masters in Public Health from the University of Michigan.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and currently serves as the president and chair of the Southeast Texas Chapter of ACHE.