CEO Doug Baer Among Top Jacksonville Business Leaders
InnovationNov 19, 2015
On Wednesday, November 18th, the Florida Council on Economic Education inducted Brooks Rehabilitation CEO Doug Baer into the First Coast Business Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame honors First Coast leaders for their significant business accomplishments and civic contributions.. The Class of 2015 also includes Jacksonville Jaguars owner, Shad Khan, Jacksonville University President, Tim Cost, and the Executive Chair of FIS, Frank Martire.
During his years with Brooks, Doug has proven himself as an exemplary business leader and community servant.
He began his career in finance. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1983, and is a certified public accountant. While working as an auditor for KPMG Peat Marwick from 1983 to 1991, Doug served various healthcare clients, including Brooks Rehabilitation. He didn’t realize at the time that this would become his true calling.
Doug joined Brooks in May, 1991 as Vice President/Corporate Controller. Over the next 10 years, he was promoted several times and ultimately named President and CEO by the Board of Directors.
He is a perfect example of serving others and empowering those around him to be the best they can be. The entire Brooks organization has grown under Doug’s leadership and has expanded its services to meet the community’s needs by providing an entire post-acute system of care.
As a non-profit, giving back to the community is a large part of what Brooks Rehabilitation does every day. Doug and the entire leadership team have made a commitment to providing rehabilitation-related programs and services to benefit those in the community without funding. Employees are encouraged to participate in company supported walks and runs, get involved with fundraising efforts and events on behalf of other non-profits.
Doug leads these efforts as a board member for a variety of organizations. He is on the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA), the Board Chair for the First Coast American Heart Association, Board Chair for the Northeast Florida Health Information Exchange, Dreams Come True, St. Paul’s Parish, as well as several other civic and service organizations in the community.
Whether he’s meeting with a newly admitted patient, sharing lunch with employees in the cafeteria or helping to develop community trustees by supporting the Leadership Jacksonville class, Doug does it all with genuine caring and commitment. Today, throughout all of our lines of businesses, Brooks employees maintain the overall goal and commitment to prioritizing our patients’ needs and placing their care and recovery as our ultimate mission. We thank Doug Baer for modeling the way.