From his start as a liberal arts major at Farmingdale State College (FSC), Kevin Spiegel, now a highly accomplished health care executive, has stood out for his leadership and passion for health and human services.
As an FSC student, Spiegel was actively involved in the campus community, where he served as president of both the Student Government Association and a chapter of the Circle K International club, and worked in the College’s Disability Services Center. Those experiences, he says, taught him key “skills that I carry and still use today.”
“I really flourished at Farmingdale,” added Spiegel, who grew up in Plainview, New York. “I am so grateful for my time there. It was definitely a career growth opportunity in my life.”
A Distinguished Service Award recipient and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Spiegel now serves as chief executive officer of Florida Medical Center (FMC) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a 459-bed acute care hospital that serves more than 50,000 admitted patients per year.
“I’m excited to be here,” said Spiegel, who joined FMC in early 2025. “We’ve been seeing a dramatic improvement in the operation of the hospital, and we are connecting with our service partners and the local government. I’m attracted to the challenge of difficult organizational issues, and I believe in fostering education among our physicians and creating a collaborative environment. We’re training the doctors of tomorrow. And when you’re providing a better level of service and improving the health status of that community, everybody wins.”
“I really flourished at Farmingdale...It was definitely a career growth opportunity in my life.” Kevin Spiegel, ’76
Throughout his exemplary career, Spiegel, who went on to earn a BA in psychology from the State University of New York at New Paltz and an MBA in health care administration and finance from Adelphi University, has held numerous clinical teaching positions and executive leadership roles in health care systems across the United States. Drawing from his FSC campus community engagement and professional success, Spiegel encourages others to pursue purposeful participation and meaningful connections.
“I loved the professors at Farmingdale,” he said. They were warm. And they were always available to help you and mentor you. I also got involved in all the activities at Farmingdale, and that 100% made for a positive experience. Farmingdale has so much to offer. As a student, I think you have to get involved. Then you find your strengths, and it helps define you as a person.”
In his personal life, Spiegel values community- leadership service and has devoted his time to several organizations, including serving on numerous boards, as a past regent for Tennessee with the American College of Healthcare Executives, and as a member of the Regents Advisory Council. He is especially honored to have served on the New York City 911 Board, the Suffolk Regional EMS Council, and as commander for the NY-2 National Disaster Medical System– Disaster Medical Assistance Team.
In 2021, Spiegel’s family experienced profound heartbreak when his wife of 40 years, Judy Spiegel, was among the 98 people killed in the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium complex in Surfside, Florida. Through the devastation, Spiegel sought to make a difference in the lives of others.
“I had a catastrophe in my life, but during this catastrophe I worked with a lot of community groups and organizations,” he said. “And I became a volunteer chaplain where I helped provide counseling, psychotherapy, and support, both for national and international disasters.”
Today, Spiegel serves as director of strategic development for the First Responders Special Unit of the United States Chaplain Corps (USCC) and was recently honored with a USCC Passion Award.
“I first met Kevin during the Surfside disaster,” said Chaplain Mendy Coën, USCC director-general. “He has a unique ability to calm people down, including myself. And not only has he come to be a close friend, but he is also a mentor to me. He has made a lasting impact in the work he does every single day both professionally and personally.”
“I’ve always had a sense, a passion, for helping and caring for people,” Spiegel said. “I love it. I mean, I could do this forever.”
Share This
