Local philanthropists Francis and Kathleen Rooney are making an $8 million donation to support the establishment of the NCH Heart, Vascular, and Stroke Institute. NCH Healthcare System (NCH) plans to build the new Institute on the Downtown Baker campus and open by 2025.
As longtime members of NCH’s Medical Diplomats Council, the Rooney’s decision to make this generous investment in the local Naples community was driven by their personal experiences at NCH and desire to have a greater impact on others.
“The clinical advancement at NCH is exceptional and we are proud to be part of this new era for our community hospital,” Francis Rooney said. “This is an investment that will last many years into the future and will make a positive difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people. We are fortunate that Naples will soon be home to a top-tier cardiac center.”
In recognition of the Rooney’s foundational gift, NCH will name a state-of-the-art auditorium in the new facility after their family. The Rooney Family Auditorium will provide a centralized area for some of the brightest minds in medicine and the public to gather for medical conferences, speaking engagements, and community events. The Rooney Family Auditorium will also serve as a symbol of NCH’s commitment to promote education and be a resource for the entire Naples community.
Scott Lutgert, Chairman of the NCH Board of Trustees, shared, “Gifts like this come from a place of vision and trust. Vision that we can and will improve the state of healthcare in Naples, and trust that we will gather the right people to do it,” Lutgert says. “We are thankful for Francis and Kathleen’s generosity and are committed to exceeding all they imagine we can achieve.”
Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of NCH Healthcare System, expressed gratitude towards the Rooneys. “We are incredibly fortunate to have generous donors like Francis and Kathleen Rooney,” Hiltz said. “We cannot thank them enough on behalf of the incalculable number of future patients whom they will enable to receive some of the best heart care in the world.”
Francis Rooney served as U.S. Representative for Florida's 19th congressional district from 2017 to 2021 and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 2005 until 2008. Rooney is the former CEO of Rooney Holdings, a diversified group of companies including Manhattan Construction Company, which was founded in 1896 and is in the fifth generation of Rooney family management. Rooney has served on numerous public and private boards, including NCH, the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, the University of Oklahoma College of International Studies, and the Young Presidents' Organization. Kathleen and Francis are also lifetime trustees of the Naples Children and Education Foundation.
Established in 1956, NCH is a locally governed, not-for profit, and independent organization caring for patients throughout Southwest Florida. Led by the Brynne and Bob Coletti Endowed Chair, Dr. Robert Cubeddu, the NCH Heart Institute unites a range of programs and services to diagnose and treat the full spectrum of heart conditions, integrating compassionate care with an agile clinical research enterprise that gives patients access to pioneering treatments. NCH is home to the only program in Southwest Florida consistently recognized with the Cardiac Care Excellence Award from Healthgrades – a mark of quality it has earned for eight years. NCH is also a leader in cardiovascular clinical research with over 24 active trials today, enabling patient access to innovative therapies not available elsewhere.
For more information about the new NCH Heart, Vascular, and Stroke Institute, you may visit https://nchmd.org/critical-care/.
