Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida CEO retires

Mike Ellis is winding down from a career of compassion for children and the less fortunate.

Ellis, 68, is stepping down Friday as president and CEO of the nonprofit Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida.

He’s been a voice for the voiceless in Southwest Florida for decades. Retirement beckons. He’s ready. But he isn’t disappearing from the health care scene.

He embraced the challenge of building Healthcare Network’s presence in the community and is most proud of collaborating with other nonprofit organizations to better serve residents.

Along the way, he had fun. That’s important, he said.

“Any time you work for the betterment of people, it’s fun to do,” he said.

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“The key is to get along with people, no matter your differences,” Ellis said. “You need to be able to talk about it and after you’re done talking about it, you need to be able to sit down and maybe have a beer and laugh about it.”

He became CEO six years ago after serving as a consultant and fundraiser for Healthcare Network, which operates 21 primary care practices.

The practices are in central and eastern Collier to be closer to where working families live. The bulk of its 51,000 patients are low income. Roughly 60% of Collier children are patients of Healthcare Network. It provided more than $5 million in uncompensated care last year.

Ellis helped build alliances with the David Lawrence Center and the National Alliance on Mental Illness for the highly successful integration of behavioral health specialists in Healthcare Network’s primary care locations.

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He networked with the Naples Children & Education Foundation, sponsors of the annual Naples Winter Wine Festival, which raises millions for children's causes. He established Healthcare Network's foundation and oversaw strategic planning.

A major undertaking during his tenure as CEO was a new 50,000-square-foot complex, Nichols Community Health Center, being built in Golden Gate. When completed next spring, the $15 million complex will be a central location for primary care, behavioral services, dental care, women’s care, vision care and more.

Healthcare Network’s start in Immokalee in 1977 was light years away from what it is today.  Then, it was a couple of trailers to treat injured and sick migrant workers. Today the organization’s annual operating budget is $50 million.

The incoming president and CEO is Emily Ptaszek, who has been serving as chief operating officer. She joined Healthcare Network in 2013 as chief psychologist.

Ellis will stay on through March in a consulting role.

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Miss the people

He’s proud of the 377 employees, of which 80 are medical providers, and top ratings for quality of care from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

“We have a very dedicated group of people who are focused on patient care, who are focused on this organization,” he said. “The thing I remember most about every job is the people. Health care people are incredibly compassionate.”

He was the first executive director in 1998 of what is now Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida; he was chief operating officer for eight years for Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida.

He majored in biology at the University of Cincinnati and still likes the mysteries of science. He has two master’s degrees, in clinical chemistry and hospital administration.

He uses 3-by-5-inch index cards to keep track of things to get done. The cards are tucked in the breast pocket of his shirt for quick reference.

His habit is to sit down Sunday night to prepare his index cards for the week — perhaps four cards that are filled front and back during the busiest times in his career.

He doesn’t mind being teased about his index cards from colleagues; he tried using notebooks but they were too bulky. He has an iPhone out of necessity but doesn’t engage in social media. He worries about its impact on young people.

“I’m down to half a card a week,” he said, referring to transitioning CEO duties to his successor. “It worked for me.”

He has lots of plans for retirement. Seeing the world has always been important and he is ramping up his travels.

First up is a trip to India in the fall; next spring will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco. He’s planning for Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

He will volunteer with healthcare organizations but isn’t divulging which groups quite yet. He is still close to people at Golisano Children’s Hospital.

He has lists of house projects and other interests, like taking a history class or two. 

“There are about six lists,” he said. “I have many more things to do than I think I have time to do. My community service is important. I have a lot to give back.”

He has lived in St. James City, on Pine Island, for 32 years where he enjoys boating and dabbles in fishing. He still loves the quirky island life.

"Somebody once said to me, 'You'll know when it's time to retire,'" he said. "Earlier this year, late last year, it just sort of dawned on me. It was just time."

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