The board speaks
Posted: November 14, 2014
Uhl be surprised
Consummate businessman Robert Uhl is supremely skilled at watching the bottom line. In fact, it was a roundabout course of problem-solving events at his national meat processing company that eventually led him to ATSU.
Uhl, who at the time was president and COO of Bar S Foods Co., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., was concerned about the rising cost of healthcare for his employees. His research led to the development of an employee health and wellness incentive program. It was so successful, Bar S Foods went from a 14.5 percent per year medical insurance increase to a seven-yearflat period.
During his 30-plus years with Bar S Foods, Uhl ultimately crossed paths with ATSU through his budding interest in medical delivery. Intrigued by the correlation between medical costs and the limited supply of healthcare professionals, Uhl believed ATSU’s focus on serving the underserved was the missing puzzle piece in the American healthcare system.
Having served on ATSU’s Board of Trustees for seven years, Uhl played an integral part in establishing the University’s mission and vision statements—a cue he took from his extensive experience at Bar S Foods.
“The Uhls have been wonderful supporters of ATSU. The University is fortunate to have Ellen and Bob give so much of their time helping our students, faculty, and staff succeed.”
– Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84, ATSU president
“The mission is simple, awe-inspiring, and can be interpreted by everyone in the organization in their own way,” Uhl explains. “We figured why not set the bar high—with preeminence. That’s pretty broad, but what makes it so powerful is that everyone can interpret it differently.”
Uhl says working with the board is phenomenal, as it operates only by consensus, which is unlike any he’s ever worked with before.
“We don’t take votes. If one person doesn’t agree, we don’t do it,” he says. “We discuss, debate, argue, and deal with something until everyone can get on board with it. It makes you think through things a lot more than you might otherwise.”
But Robert isn’t the only Uhl excited about ATSU. His wife, Ellen, has long supported the University as a founding member of Women for ATSU, a program that provides awareness and philanthropic support to the University. Together, the Uhls helped create the White Coat Society, an invitation-only program where community members gain unprecedented access to the Arizona campus.
Not surprisingly, the caring couple is not slowing down. The Uhls say that instead of retiring, they would rather give back because they care about their community, their friends, and their country.
Outside of ATSU, Robert is involved in several internet marketing businesses with his son, and Ellen volunteers weekly with United Methodist Outreach Ministries by reading to homeless children and their families.