February 5, 2026
Hartford HealthCare recognized 40 years of distinguished service and leadership as we celebrated the legacy and retirement of Rocco Orlando III, MD, FACS, a healthcare leader who began his influential medical career as a Hartford Hospital surgeon and rose to become Hartford HealthCare’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Academic Officer.
Known by his peers as a transformative leader and advocate for academic excellence, Dr. Orlando continuously elevated Hartford HealthCare and laid the groundwork for us to become the global hub for innovation, education, and research we are today.
“Reflecting on my career, I have a lot of gratitude for Hartford Hospital and Hartford HealthCare, the organization has always been very supportive of innovating and creating new things,” says Dr. Orlando. “Look at our clinical strength and long history of education—we have excellent medical teams and great colleagues to work with. It’s really been a blessing.”
Joanne Orlando, Dr. Orlando’s wife and Hartford Hospital Corporator, agrees.
“Hartford Hospital has been a part of our lives for a long time, and it has always been committed to taking care of everybody,” shares Joanne. “There is such dedication to the community—from the care at the hospital to the mobile services.”
The Orlandos’ belief in Hartford HealthCare’s mission inspired them to invest in its future, and they did so by joining the hospital’s 1854 Society and making a significant gift to establish the Rocco Orlando, III, MD Endowment for Innovation, Education, and Research.
The fund not only celebrates Dr. Orlando’s medical and academic achievements, it also provides permanent support for driving discovery and elevating Hartford HealthCare’s standard of care. According to Dr. Orlando, he hopes the fund will lead to additional research grants, development of new facilities, and additional investments in the Center for Education, Simulation & Innovation (CESI).
“Giving back to the organization was very important to Joanne and me,” says Dr. Orlando. “I felt providing philanthropic support to education endeavors was vitally important, as our academic profile has been a key driver in our ability to innovate and provide our communities with cutting-edge therapies.”
“Rocco and I were brought up in families where commitment to what we believed in was really important,” adds Joanne. “My parents taught me to give where I can make a difference and to give to what matters most to you. I feel like we’re carrying on the right tradition.”
If you, your family, or organization is interested in supporting our mission, visit our Ways to Give webpage or contact a member of our Philanthropy Team.