Staff Reports
The Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Cabinet wants Florida to be the safest, healthiest and most sustainable state in the U.S., and that includes mental health and well-being.
To help achieve that goal, the Chamber is bringing on Dr. Robert “Navy Bob” Roncska as the Senior Vice President of the Florida Chamber Health Council.
Roncska most recently served as Corporate Executive Director for High Reliability and Unit Culture at AdventHealth and previously served 28 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a Captain in 2018.
He has also been a member of the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health and Sustainability Advisory Board for the past two years, helping create national standards for workplace safety and implementing first-in-the-nation programs to prevent injuries, reduce operational costs, and improve production, performance, and corporate safety culture.
Roncska took the helm at the Health Council on May 1. There, he will lead a coordinated, business-led health initiative to develop local behavioral health systems, help funders of care implement best practices and create a model of business-led mental well-being outcomes that can be replicated nationally. Florida currently ranks No. 49 for mental health care access according to Mental Health America’s 2022 report.
“As Chair of the Florida Chamber’s Health Council, I had a front-row seat to the essential work needed to tackle the mental health crisis. The Florida Chamber is unifying the business community to ensure Florida is a national model for mental wellness. I am honored to help lead this important mission for Florida,” Roncska said.
Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson said, “Navy Bob’s personal experience around mental health challenges with his mother and father combined with his engagement with corporate, military, and political leaders, make him the perfect leader to create America’s leading, business-led, mental health and mental well-being initiative.”
Wilson noted that the statewide mental health initiative launch coincides with the Chamber’s Leadership Conference on Safety, Health and Sustainability, which will be held May 11-12 in Orlando. Wilson said the conference will raise awareness on mental health solutions with keynotes from experts such as Dr. Caroline Leaf, a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist, as well as Pat Geraghty, the President & CEO of GuideWell and Florida Blue.
“Leadership Conference attendees can meet Navy Bob while they learn about safety, health, and sustainability business practices from several other nationally acclaimed speakers,” said Wilson.
Health care leaders and those interested in the Florida Chamber Health Council’s new mental health initiative can register online to attend the conference.
“We are grateful to have Dr. Robert Roncska leading the Florida Chamber Health Council and Jason Mozo, J.D., leading the Florida Chamber Safety Council on the journey to becoming the safest, healthiest, and most sustainable state in America,” said Katie R. Yeutter, President of the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health and Sustainability and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
