Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, inducted into DE Business Leaders Hall of Fame

Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, inducted into DE Business Leaders Hall of Fame

Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, president and CEO of Christiana Care Health System, was inducted into the Junior Achievement Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame at a ceremony Oct. 16 at Deerfield Country Club in Newark, Del. The induction honors his strategic management, invention and innovation as a business leader to make a positive impact on the workforce and economic development in the region. The induction ceremony featured a video with Gov. Jack Markell and Christiana Care colleagues recognizing Dr. Laskowski.

Rob Eppes, president of Junior Achievement of Delaware Inc., welcomes President and CEO Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, to the Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame. Photo credit: RichardDubroff/FinalFocus
Rob Eppes, president of Junior Achievement of Delaware Inc., welcomes President and CEO Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, to the Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame. Photo credit: RichardDubroff/FinalFocus

“Dr. Laskowski’s vision and commitment have made Delaware a better, healthier place to live and work for this generation and for generations to come,” said Rob Eppes, president of Junior Achievement of Delaware Inc. “With his leadership, Christiana Care has become a model of an innovative, effective health provider and workplace that is an inspiration for young people to succeed and strive to be exceptional.”

Junior Achievement is an international organization dedicating to educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. The Hall of Fame’s permanent exhibit is on the Junior Achievement experiential learning campus at 522 S. Walnut St. in Wilmington.

Dr. Laskowski announced earlier this year that he is retiring at the end of the year after serving from 2003 to 2014 as president and CEO of Christiana Care.

In his leadership, Dr. Laskowski remained highly focused on Christiana Care’s mission of service as a not-for-profit health system. In fiscal year 2013, Christiana Care provided the community with an estimated $26.8 million in charity care at cost. He also led the transformation of Christiana Care’s organizational culture through the adoption of The Christiana Care Way: “We serve our neighbors as respectful, expert, caring partners in their health. We do this by creating innovative, effective, affordable systems of care that our neighbors value.”

During Dr. Laskowski’s tenure, Christiana Care has earned national recognition for excellence from Truven Health Analytics and as a Magnet-designated health system by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. He established the Christiana Care Value Institute to contribute to national research on health and health care with the goals of identifying and implementing strategies to achieve better health at lower cost. Dr. Laskowski advanced primary and specialty care with the opening of Christiana Care’s Concord Health Center, the expansion of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, establishment of the nationally recognized Center for Heart & Vascular Health, and the Transforming Wilmington project, which expanded Wilmington Hospital to increase access to health care in the heart of Delaware’s largest city.

Dr. Laskowski is the 2012-2014 chair-elect of the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems of the Association of American Medical Colleges and becomes chair for 2014-2016.

In addition to his health care leadership, Dr. Laskowski’s exemplary community service has benefited Delaware and the surrounding region. Dr. Laskowski is past chair of the board of directors of the United Way of Delaware and past chair of the Delaware Healthcare Association board of directors. He is a member of the First State Innovation board and the University of Delaware Lerner College of Business and Economics college advisory board and serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Economic Advisory Council.

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