Chris Rakunas

A world traveler with a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology from UC Berkeley and the second in command at Lehigh Regional Medical Center, has been promoted to CEO of the hospital.

The announcement was made by Health Management Associates, which owns the hospital. HMA is headquartered in Naples and operates several hospitals in the southeast.

Chris Rakunas, who born and raised in Los Angeles, replaces Jose F. Morillo, who has been the head of the hospital for the past three years. He has been transferred to operate Charlotte Regional Hospital in Port Charlotte, effective Monday. Morillo was there for eight years as their rehab director.

Rakunas says he looks forward to the new position and sees good things ahead for Lehigh Regional Medical Center.

Rakunas has been the chief operating officer for Lehigh Regional for the past two years.

He is very active in the community and serves as a board member of Lehigh Community Services and is a board member of the Kiwanis Club of Lehigh Acres and the president-elect. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Raphael’s in Lehigh. Rakunas also coaches basketball in the Sheriff’s Youth League in Lehigh and was a judge for the Lehigh Acres Idol competition at the 2010 Spring Festival this past March.

After getting his degree at Berkeley, Rakunas was employed by Johnson and Johnson in global operations and strategic marketing.

During that time he went back to graduate school at the University of Southern California (USC) where he earned a master’s in business administration and graduated on the dean’s list.

Following graduation, Rakunas spent six months traveling the world, spending time in China, Mongolia, Siberia, and Lithuania and other countries.

He came to work for Health Management Associates in Naples where he served as the assistant administrator at both Physicians Regional hospitals.

In 2008, Rakunas was promoted to chief operating officer of Lehigh Regional Medical Center where he dove into his role immediately.

During his two years as COO, Rakunas was responsible for upgrading the CT and MRI, installing the PACS (Picture Archiving Computer System), building out the Joint Academy for elective orthopedic total joint replacements, constructing the current Wound Care Institute space, and installing and starting the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers in the hospital.

A few months ago, Rakunas accompanied Dr. Stephen Schroering on a trip to Haiti to carry relief supplies.

When he’s not working, Rakunas says he enjoys playing his guitar for his girlfriend, Darcey.