JUNE 21, 2023

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of new board member, Robert “Bob” Essner. Bob Essner is the retired Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He was elected President of the corporation in July 2000, serving until April 2006, and also served as Chief Operating Officer between July 2000 and May 2001. During his tenure at Wyeth, Essner was also Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and Chairman of the Dolder Group, a council of leaders of large global pharmaceutical corporations.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bob to our board,” said Deb Kabinoff, Healthcare Foundation board chair. “His leadership experience and deep roots in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will further our mission to help Sarasota Memorial Health Care System provide world-class healthcare to our community.”

Currently, Essner is an Executive in Residence and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. He is Chairman of Elucida Oncology and on the board of directors of Organon and Omeza. He is a member of the board and previous Chairman of both the Children’s Health Fund in New York and Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. During his career, he served on the board of Mass Mutual and was Senior Advisor to the Carlyle Group.

Essner is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

The current 21-member Healthcare Foundation board also includes Deb Kabinoff, Chair; Philip A. Delaney Jr., Past-Chair; Gwen Mackenzie, Vice Chair; Joel Morganroth, M.D., Treasurer; Sandra Stuart, Secretary; Robert G. Bartner; Carl W. Battle; Gary Dornbush; Mary Evelyn Guyton; Thomas F. Kelly, M.D.; Robert P. Martin; Diane M. Mayer; Jonathan E. Mitchell; Barbara Rodkin; Samuel C. Scott III; Jon Soderberg; Eric Spiegel; David Verinder (Ex Officio); Kirk Voelker, M.D.; and Robert L. Wood.