Gary Strack

Gary spent 23 years of a 40 year healthcare career as a CEO. After receiving an MBA from the University of Florida, he taught in their graduate school and was recognized for excellent teaching. He served as the CEO of Orlando Health, formerly the Orlando Regional Healthcare System, for 17 years where he was recognized nationally for his leadership in planning and building the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. More recently, he was CEO of Boca Raton Community Hospital for 6 years. His breadth and depth of experiences with strategic planning, board service, effective execution of managerial plans, senior leadership team building, mergers and acquisitions, effective governance, and developing standards of performance for executives enable him to be a unique resource. Other than his faith, the three things that most influenced his life were 1) the outstanding mentors and board members who intersected and influenced him, 2) professional sabbaticals at the Baxter Corporation and at UNC’s School of Public Health, and 3) giving up alcohol and developing a fitness regiment over 25 years ago. Midcareer, Gary returned to academics and was awarded a Doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina. His dissertation research on spirituality and effective leadership was described as first-rate by Barry Posner, co-author of The Leadership Challenge. Gary approaches leadership like practicing a form of mastery in martial arts or golf, something to be studied and practiced for a lifetime but never conquered. He is currently on the board of Student Leadership University. He also serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO and senior leadership of Paquin Healthcare, a leading retail healthcare organization. He and his wife, Susan, live outside Atlanta and enjoy playing golf and spending time with their grandchildren.