Rocco Ortenzio

Ortenzio co-founded Select Medical Corporation in 1996 with his son, Robert.[1] Select Medical "operate[s] hospitals within hospitals," and "provide[s] acute long-term care to critically ill patients."[2] Beginning in February 1997, Ortenzio held the position of chairman and chief executive officer for Select Medical: he held these positions until that September.[3] In the same year, he was awarded the Business Achievement Award from the West Shore Chamber of Commerce.[4] Since that time, he has served as its executive chairman.[3] In 1998, Select Medical bought fellow health care provider Intensiva for approximately $110 million.[2] In February 2010, it was estimated that both Rocco and his son had made "about $200 million from salary, benefits and share sales since founding Select in November 1996."[5] In September 2009, they sold 90% of Select Medical to the public through shares, but retained around $200 million worth of the company, or 10 percent.[5]

In 1995, Rocco Ortenzio sold his company Continental Medical Systems to Horizon Healthcare Corporation for $502 million in stock.[6] He had founded Continental in 1986, and held the positions of chairman and chief executive officer until July 1995.[3] After the merger, he became the vice chairman of Horizon, which became one of the largest companies of its kind in the U.S.[6] Horizon/CMS was eventually acquired by HealthSouth in 1997.

Ortenzio was also made a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester, on October 21, 2007.[7] Ortenzio and his son, Robert, along with Select Medical, made the largest-ever private donation ($5.2 million) to the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.[8]

Ortenzio donated $1 million to Restore Our Future, Mitt Romney's Super PAC, in 2012.[9] Ortenzio has also contributed to Bob Casey, Jr., Pat Toomey, Lee Terry, Bob Corker, and other members of Congress.[10]