Longtime Supporters Ted Couch and Connie Mack Join Moffitt’s National Board of Advisors
TAMPA, Fla. — Moffitt Cancer Center is pleased to announce the appointment of two longtime supporters, Theodore J. Couch Sr. and former Sen. Connie Mack, to its national Board of Advisors. Both have been instrumental in the development of Moffitt Cancer Center.
Couch teamed up with the cancer center’s founder, H. Lee Moffitt, to push for the creation of the facility by the state Legislature. In 1981, long before Moffitt’s doors opened, Couch and his late partner, George Cortner, created an endowed chair that would lead to the recruitment of the center’s first cancer researcher. This foundational gift became the impetus for Moffitt’s emphasis on basic research.
That investment later set in motion Moffitt’s ability to attract top-notch cancer scientists and attain designation by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. A native of Tampa, the real estate developer joined Moffitt’s Board of Directors in 1984 and helped guide the board as its chairman from 1993 to 2001, continuing his service as a member through 2018.
Mack joined the Moffitt family when he retired from an 18-year political career in the U.S. Senate. During his legislative tenure, Mack’s commitment to cancer was obvious as his efforts were instrumental in doubling the budget of the National Institutes of Health, creating a program for breast and cervical cancer screening for underserved women, and ensuring Medicare patients would be covered for participation in clinical trials.
When he retired from the Senate in 2001, Mack set his sights on issues that held personal importance for him and one of those was cancer. Mack became chair of Moffitt’s Board of Directors, serving from 2001-08, and continued his service as a member through 2018. During his tenure as chair, Mack helped create Moffitt’s Board of Advisors with the help of then-ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson, who served as the first chair.
“We are thrilled to have both Ted and Connie join this group and bring with them their commitment to Moffitt and their determination to continue this fight against cancer,” said Bob Griese, chair of the Board of Advisors and former Miami Dolphins Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback. “They are a dynamic pair that cares deeply about this cause.”
Couch and Mack join 32 other prominent figures on Moffitt’s Board of Advisors.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 50 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is a Top 10 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt devotes more than 2 million square feet to research and patient care. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 6,300 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.5 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.