American Health Information Community: Members

E. Mitchell (“Mitch”) Roob, Jr.
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Secretary

Edward Mitchell Roob, Jr. (Mitch) was born on October 16, 1961 the first of three children (Mathew; 10/63 and Katie 2/66) to Barbara and Edward M. Roob. The family lived in Northbrook IL, the children, attended Westmore Elementary school where Mitch played baseball, hockey and soccer. In 1973 the family moved to Washington D.C. where his father served as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury for debt during the Nixon and Ford Administrations.

Retuning to the Chicago area in 1975, Mitch Roob resumed his career with First Chicago (now part of J.P. Morgan). Mitch attended Northbrook Jr. High and Glenbrook North High school graduating in 1979. His mother served as a school board member in District 28 for much of this time. In High school Mitch continued to play baseball, hockey and soccer until a series of injures ended his career in competitive sports, active in the Methodist Church, Mitch worked on his first political campaign in 1976, filling boxes and licking envelopes for James R. Thompson.

Mitch entered DePauw University in Greencastle IN, gradating in 1983 with a degree in Political Science and History. A member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Mitch served on the Student Senate. During the last weeks of college Mitch met his future wife Sandy Matthys (born South Bend IN 6/16/61). Following graduation Mitch first worked for the US Senate campaign of Chuck Percy and then on the staff of Governor James R. Thompson.

Married 9/28/85, the Roob’s first lived in Chesterton, IN Mitch commuting to Chicago, Sandy to South Bend where she worked as a reported for NBC affiliate WNDU. Entering Business School at Notre Dame in June of 1987 Mitch graduated in 1989 with and MBA. In July of that year Mitch began as a management consultant with Crowe Chizek in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Mayor Steve Goldsmith appointed Mitch to serve as the Director of the Department of Transportation in January of 1992. There he organized the “Building Better Neighborhoods” infrastructure program and spearheaded much of the competition initiative working hand in glove with Mitch Daniels then chair of Mayor Goldsmith competition initiative. These efforts lead to the creation of a $520 million infrastructure program with no increase in taxes.

In 1994 Mitch was appointed the President of the Marion County Health and Hospital Corporation responsible for the Health Department and Wishard Public Hospital. Here he developed the Wishard Advantage a low income health program, the IU Medical group and worked to reduce infant mortality. Wishard was named one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation three of the four years Mitch was its President. During his tenure taxes never rose.

In 1998 Mitch became COO if the Indiapolis Water Company, then a privately owned utility. IWC enjoyed record customer and income growth during these years. In 2000, Mitch helped to found a company that became Netgov, specializing in internet transactions for governmental agencies. In 2001 that company was sold to Affiliated Computer Systems (ACS) a fortune 500 company focused on public and private sector business process outsourcesing. Mitch served as Vice President responsible for client relations in the Midwest and developing an integrated response to the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA)

In 2005 Mitch was appointed by Indiana’s Governor, Mitch Daniels to lead the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. FSSA is the largest state agency with 9,000 employees and an annual budget of $7 billion. The Roob’s live in Indianapolis with two Children (Edward Mitchell, III (Trey) 1/18/95 and Reagan Irene 1/15/99). Together they teach Sunday school at Giest Christian Church.