ROBERT VINCENT is the newly appointed chair of the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation’s board of trustees. Vincent, who assumed his new role as of Jan. 1 and is the chair of IGT Global Solutions Corp., has served as a trustee and volunteer for Lifespan Corp. and co-chaired Hasbro Children’s Hospital’s Heroes Ball for the past three years with his wife, Grace. He has spent the past 30 years as an executive at IGT Global Solutions and its predecessor companies and was named chair of the company in April of 2019.
How did your first visit to Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital make you want to get involved with the Rhode Island Hospital Foundation board from a philanthropic standpoint? When visiting Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s, you are immediately impressed with the quality and excellence of the entire team. The scope of what they can do is awe-inspiring. Some of the world’s leading physicians, surgeons and researchers have been attracted to these hospitals. That’s not by accident. They share a commitment to delivering the highest quality of care in a very personal and patient-centered manner.
What are your thoughts about being appointed chair and the responsibility of leading the foundation’s board of trustees? From my perspective, Rhode Island Hospital is one of the state’s most precious and vital assets. It is inextricably linked to our health and well-being but also our economic development. Companies want and require accessible, high-quality health care for their employees. Rhode Island Hospital meets that need, and its foundation board has the important role of safeguarding and growing the hospital’s endowment in order to provide much-needed resources to support positive outcomes for our patients.
What aspect of your background do you think is beneficial to you in your role on the board of trustees? Throughout my career, I have had to manage and lead groups of people from varying backgrounds and with differing skill sets. I have found that communication is the key. People want to help, but they need to understand how they fit in. If you clearly set priorities and expectations, people respond.
Since you first became involved with Lifespan, what have you been most proud of accomplishing through your philanthropic efforts? My wife, Grace, and I chaired the Hasbro Children’s Hospital Gala from 2017-2019. Through the dedication and hard work of the host committee and the development team, the events raised in excess of $3 million. It was incredibly satisfying for us to be part of that effort.
What do you hope to achieve as chair of the foundation board of trustees, and do you have any innovative ideas or initiatives you plan to pursue? We have a highly accomplished group of trustees and the first thing I want to do is make certain we’re fully tapping into their ideas. They are committed to the successful future of the hospitals. In addition, I’d like to see us further diversify our already robust fundraising initiatives.
