1. Sami Abbasi – Sami S. Abbasi leads National Surgical Care as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to National Surgical Care, Mr. Abbasi served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Radiologix, Inc., a leading national provider of diagnostic imaging services. Mr. Abbasi co-founded Radiologix in 1996 and was instrumental in building the company from a creative idea to one of the nation’s leading providers of diagnostic imaging services. He led Radiologix through its initial public offering in November 1997 and its sale to RadNet, Inc. in November 2006. Mr. Abbasi previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Adminiquest, Inc., a web-enabled, full-service outsourcing solutions provider to the insurance and benefits industry. Mr. Abbasi also was a Vice President in the Health Care Group of Robertson Stephens, Inc., with responsibility for investment banking business development and the execution of a broad range of corporate finance transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he has held various positions at Citigroup Inc., including Vice President and Senior Industry Analyst in the Health Care Group. Mr. Abbasi earned an MBA degree from the University of Rochester and a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
2. Buddy Bacon – As the Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Surgical Partners, Buddy Bacon oversees all aspects of business operations. He has more than 20 years of healthcare industry experience. From 1996 to 2003, Bacon served in roles as Chief Executive Officer and previously as Chief Financial Officer for Medifax-EDI, Inc., a healthcare information technology company based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2001, the company was acquired by Crescent Capital, Atlanta, Georgia, for $117 million. At that time, Bacon was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Medifax-EDI and grew the company until it was sold to WebMD in 2003, for a combined valuation of $365 million. Prior to Medifax-EDI, Inc., Bacon worked in public accounting with Lattimore, Black, Morgan, & Cain, PC from 1986 to 1996, where he focused on corporate audit and tax. He graduated from David Lipscomb College, in Nashville, TN, with a major in accounting. Bacon is a certified public accountant.
3. Joseph Banno, M.D. – Dr. Banno is the founder of the successful Peoria Day Surgery Center as well as the President of the AAASC. He is driven and smart and a tireless worker on behalf of the ASC industry.
4. Chris Bishop – Mr. Chris Bishop is Vice President of Business Development for Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America (ASCOA) where he currently leverages his extensive experience with surgeon partnerships to develop new ambulatory surgery centers. For the past 10 years, he has worked in leadership roles for both the medical device and surgery center industries. Prior to joining ASCOA, he was responsible for developing Smith & Nephew Endoscopy’s surgery center sales team and strategy to further increase market share for this rapidly growing healthcare segment. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and resides in Franklin, TN with his wife and two children.
5. Tom Bombardier, M.D. – Dr. Bombardier is a board-certified ophthalmologist, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, and one of the three founding principals. Prior to founding ASCOA, he established the largest ophthalmic practice in western Massachusetts, two ambulatory surgical centers, and a regional referral center. Over the past fifteen years, he has been a real estate developer on Cape Cod, MA. Dr. Bombardier is a graduate of Amherst College, Albany Medical College, and Louisiana State University residency program.
6. Brett Brodnax – Brett Brodnax has distinguished himself as one of the ambulatory surgical center industry’s leading development executives. He is Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at United Surgical Partners. Due to his leadership, efforts and integrity Brett has made United Surgical Partners one of the fastest growing ambulatory surgical chains, with a portfolio of nearly 100 surgical centers and several surgical hospitals. He accomplished this through a mix of acquisitions of small surgical center chains, individual surgical centers and through the development of joint ventures with hospital systems.
7. Kathy J. Bryant – As president of FASA (formerly known as the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association), Kathy Bryant leads the activities of the nation’s largest ambulatory surgery center (ASC) membership association. FASA represents the interests of multi- and single-specialty ASCs, the health care professionals who deliver health care in ASCs and the patients who seek care in ASCs in policy- making forums across the nation. FASA also assists ASCs in meeting the challenges of operating an ASC through services such as the nation’s largest ASC outcomes monitoring project and a national compliance hotline for ASCs.
Bryant edits FASA Update, a bimonthly journal on ASC issues and is a frequent speaker on ambulatory surgery issues. She regularly consults with policy makers on regulatory and legislative issues of interest to ASCs. Bryant also serves as president of the Foundation for Ambulatory Surgery in America. The Foundation is the largest publisher of ASC-specific publications, provides a variety of educational programming and conducts and contracts for research on ASC topics. As chief operating officer of the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification, Ms. Bryant oversaw the development and implementation of the first ASC-specific credential – CASC (Certified Administrator Surgery Center). More than 300 individuals have earned this credential since its implementation in 2002. Before joining FASA in 1998, Ms. Bryant headed the government relations program of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Prior to her 13-year stint with ACOG, Ms. Bryant worked for the American Medical Association and the Iowa State Senate. A native of Iowa, Ms. Bryant graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa School of Law. She received a bachelor’s degree with high distinction from the same university.
8. Robert J. Carrera – With over 20 years of healthcare experience, Rob has spent the last 15 years developing and managing ASCs, physical/occupational rehabilitation centers, diagnostic imaging facilities, and occupational medicine clinics nationally. Rob provides PINNACLE III clients expertise in operational and financial controls/management as well as business development. Rob’s innovative operational approach has created solid physician loyalty to the ancillary entities he oversees. Organizations who have adopted Rob’s recommended action plans experience increased volume and enhanced bottom line performance while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction and quality of care. Also, Rob has been active legislatively at the State level regarding issues affecting ASCs.
9. Pat Churchwell – Pat is a Senior Vice President with Surgery Consultants of America and Surgery Center Billing. She is extremely smart, works tirelessly, and is a great advisor to surgery centers on a national basis. She works extensively with both physician hospital joint ventures and with physician only surgery centers. She has a great understanding of the financial issues relative to surgery center management and is a tremendous asset to Surgery Consultants of America.
10. Joe Clark – Joseph Clark. Joe Clark is the CEO of the ASC Division of HealthSouth. The division was recently sold for almost $1 billion.
11. Don Cook – Don Cook is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Surgeum, a surgery center management and development company located in Los Angeles. With over twenty years of experience in outpatient healthcare management, Don has built and operated both private and public companies in a number of industries including surgery, cardiology, home infusion therapy, and physician practice management. He has written, spoken and consulted extensively in the areas of management, strategy and operational effectiveness. Don holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
12. Steve Dobias – Steve is a Principal with Somerset CPAs, P.C. Steve’s work focuses on providing services for physician groups and hospital systems. Steve initiated the Ancillary Services Group that facilitates the feasibility, organization, funding and set up of operations of ambulatory surgery centers, and medical office buildings. Steve has worked with physician groups and hospitals nationwide on the development of both joint venture and physician owned surgery centers and/or medical office buildings.
13. Judy English – Judy English is a Senior Vice President with Serbin Surgery Center Billing. She does a tremendous job of helping Caryl Serbin to run that company. They have grown the company considerably to where it has more than $25 million in collected revenues related to it per year. She is very talented and very smart.
14. Richard E. Francis, Jr. – As President, Chairman of the Board, CEO and a Director of Symbion, Inc., Richard Francis has helped transform Symbion into one of the country’s leading surgical center management and development firms. Under his leadership, Symbion has become a publicly held company and an ambulatory surgical center chain with nearly 100 successful surgical centers.
15. Ann Geier – Ms. Geier has been a perioperative nurse for 30 years. She is currently VP of Operations for Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America (ASCOA) with responsibility for ASCs in New England and Florida. For the last 20 years, her focus has been ambulatory surgery, primarily freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. Ms. Geier serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAASC) and on the annual meeting planning committee for AAASC. She writes a monthly staffing column for Outpatient Surgery Magazine, serves on the editorial board of Same Day Surgery, OR 2007 and OR Manager. She has served as a contributor for several Perioperative Management Resources for AORN, including Block Time, Accreditation/Regulation/JCAHO. She currently presents for the Ambulatory Administrator Certificate Program and has contributed to the Advanced Certificate Program offered online, and she has been appointed to the AORN PNDS Benchmark Database Task Force.
16. Brett Gosney – Brett Gosney is a founder and the CEO of Animas Surgical Hospital. He is a leading advocate on behalf of physician ownership of surgical hospitals both nationally and in his home state of Colorado. He also serves as the President of the Physician Hospitals of American (“PHA”).
17. George Goodwin – Director and Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions of Symbion. George has stepped into the leadership spot at Symbion over the last several years. He is extremely bright and has done a terrific job of handling the acquisition and merger of so many different providers at Symbion. Symbion has grown greatly under his leadership and increasingly has an important role in that leadership.
18. James T. Grant – Jim Grant is the COO of National Surgical Hospitals and the past President of Physician Hospitals of America (“PHA”). In his role as PHA’s President, he has overseen a nearly five year battle to prevent limits and prohibitions on physician ownership of specialty and surgical hospitals. Prior to his position at National Surgical Hospitals, Jim was an executive at Quorum Health Group and Talus Health Systems. His leadership, devotion, experience, intelligence and energy in the ambulatory surgical hospital industry are unparalleled.
19. Molly Gutierrez – Molly Gutierrez was named the Executive Director for the Physician Hospitals of America, then the American Surgical Hospital Association in November 2005. As such, Molly leads the organization’s day-to-day business and operational functions and directs PHA’s membership recruitment, public relations and political advocacy efforts. In addition, Molly serves as the President of the South Dakota Association of Specialty Care Providers – representing specialty hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers in South Dakota. She is currently serving a second term as a Governor appointee to the South Dakota Healthcare Commission. Molly is also a Co-Chair of the Governor appointed Subcommittee on Universal Healthcare Access in South Dakota. Molly received her Juris Doctorate with honors in 1997.
20. David Hall – David Hall has a long and successful career as a health care innovator and businessman. Currently he is Chairman at Titan Health Corporation, an ASC management company; Director of Radiant Research, a clinical trials company; and Director of Cogent Healthcare, a hospitalist staffing company. In the past, he has served as: President and CEO of ASC Network, an ambulatory surgery center company; Executive Vice President at Medical Care America, then the country’s largest operator of outpatient surgery centers; and the President and CEO of two acute care hospital companies.
21. Thomas Hall – Thomas S. Hall has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of NovaMed Inc., and has been a member of our Board of Directors, since November 14, 2005. Mr. Hall was appointed Chairman of the Board on February 21, 2007. From April 2003 to November 2005, Mr. Hall served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Matria Healthcare, Inc., after having joined Matria in October 2002 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Matria provides disease management programs to health plans and employers. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Hall was President and Chief Executive Officer of TSH & Associates, an independent consulting and management services company. From 1997 to 1999, Mr. Hall held several executive positions that included President of ADP TotalSource, a division of Automated Data Processing, Inc. (ADP). Mr. Hall also served in senior management positions with Riscorp, Inc., an insurance holding company, and USAir Express/Chautauqua Airlines. A native of Upstate New York, Mr. Hall earned a BA in business from Goshen College and an MBA from Clarkson University.
22. Kenneth N. Hancock – Kenny Hancock is the President and Chief Development Officer of Meridian Surgical Partners, a venture capital-funded firm that is actively acquiring ambulatory surgical centers and small hospitals. He has over twenty years experience in the healthcare industry and is a co-founder of both Surgical Alliance Corporation and OrthoLink Physicians Corporation. OrthoLink was sold in 2001 to United Surgical Partners International in a stock transaction valued at ninetytwo million dollars. With a wealth of experience and as one of the country’s first specialty hospital developers, Kenny has a unique knowledge of the industry.
23. Richard Hanley – Richard Hanley is the CEO and founder of Health Inventures. Richard has held leadership positions at Health Inventures for the past twenty years. He also is a FASA Board Member and leading national advocate for ASCs.
24. Allen Hecht – Allen Hecht is the CEO and President of Health Resources International. He is also the President of FASA. He is one of the pioneers in the ASC industry and an extremely astute and likable leader. He adds great value to FASA and to the organizations he works with.
25. Marc Jang – Marc Jang is President and CEO of Titan Health Corporation. Marc has held executive positions in healthcare for 16 years, including serving as Vice President of Finance for Sutter Surgery Centers, Inc. and Regional Vice President for ASC Network, Inc. He has vast experience in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and development and operations as they relate to the
ambulatory services industry.
26. Craig Jeffries – Craig Jeffries is a health care lawyer with over twenty years experience leading growth oriented, highly regulated organizations in rapidly changing healthcare, pharmaceutical and distribution industries. As Executive Director of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers he also brings a wealth of experience in working with Congress, CMS and state government. The American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers is a physician led, national association dedicated to advancing high quality, patient centered care in ambulatory surgical facilities. The 2008 AAASC Annual Meeting, April 16 -19, 2008 in Tampa, Florida is the premier educational and exhibitor event for medical directors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, directors of nursing and administrators that own, work in, or are establishing an ambulatory surgery center. American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, 423 915 1001, CraigJeffries@AAASC.org, www.AAASC.org.
27. Mike Karnes – Mike is the Chief Operating Officer of Regent Surgical Health. Michael recently served as chief administrative officer of GTCRGolder Rauner, one of the largest and oldest venture capital firms in the U.S. He also has been CFO for Prime Group Realty Trust and Balcor, a subsidiary of American Express. Michael has led teams that successfully executed two NYSE IPOs, raising $550 million in new equity and merged two NYSE listed firms. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Maryland, a BBA-Finance degree from University of Notre Dame and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School.
28. Naya Kehayes – Naya Kehayes is the founder and CEO of Eveia Health Consulting & Management (formerly Millennium Health Consulting). She is a nationally recognized expert in the area of reimbursement and managed care and insurance contract negotiations for ASCs and surgical practices. She is equally proficient in ASC operations and financial management and serves as a financial advisor to several national ASC corporations. She is intelligent, has a wealth of experience and has (and continues to) made her mark in the healthcare sector by helping her clients dramatically improve their managed care contracts and reimbursements.
29. Susan Kizirian – Susan is a Senior Vice President with Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America. Susan is an extremely talented person who has served in many roles throughout the country and many roles with ASCOA. She also sits on the board of the AAASC.
30. Michael Kulczycki – Michael is the Executive Director of Ambulatory Care Accreditation for the Joint Commission. In his role, he has greatly expanded the import of the JCAHO with respect to ambulatory surgical centers.
31. Joan Lapham – Joan is the Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Surgery Hospital, a joint venture between a physician investor group and a not-forprofit community hospital that was built and opened in 2005. Responsible for comprehensive oversight of the hospital construction from functional design through completion of construction; transition of the organization and staff from a surgery center to a fully operational hospital; licensure, certification, and accreditation; negotiation of the joint venture operating agreement and other required legal documents; arranging financing for the project; and, hiring and development of a competent senior management team. This $21.5 million project was delivered on-time and on-budget. For 18 years, the Executive Director of Carson Ambulatory Surgery Center, Inc. (CASCI), a physician owned multi-specialty surgery center. Responsible for operational oversight including clinical services, facility support, fiscal activity and corporate business. Developed and implemented facility programs including continuous quality improvement, risk management, medical staff credentialing, compliance program, and infection control program. Guided facility through six successful Joint Commission accreditation surveys. Managed and directed corporate business under the direction the Board of Directors. She is a graduate of University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the University of Colorado, Denver, CO with a Master of Business Administration.
32. Brent Lambert, M.D. – Dr. Brent Lambert has revolutionized approaches to ambulatory surgery center management. He is the Chairman of the Board and a founder of ASCOA, the country’s largest privately held ASC company (prior to HealthSouth and USPI going private). He not only has a brilliant strategic mind but also takes a hands on approach to ASC management. He will share his thoughts on ASC management at the meeting. Dr. Lambert is a Harvard College graduate. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in American History and graduated Cum Laude. He also attended Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and received a Doctor of Medicine degree. He completed his residency at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary.
33. Luke Lambert – Luke Lambert is the CEO of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America. He has a background in equity research and management consulting. With his experience and his MBA from Columbia University, he is a regular speaker at ambulatory surgical conferences and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the industry.
34. Jeff Leland – Managing Partner, Before Blue Chip Surgical, Jeff was with ASCOA, (Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America), where he was responsible for de novo surgical center development and surgical center management. Jeff served as Executive Director, Lutheran General Medical Group, a 260-physician, multi-specialty medical group located in Chicago. Jeff was once a senior level executive with Advocate Health Care in Chicago, responsible for both Business Development and Advocate’s 225,000-member health plan. He also served as President of HealthSpring Medical Group, a primary care medical group that was acquired by Met Life & Travelers. Jeff was also Chief Executive Officer Western Ohio Health Care, an HMO with 200,000+ members, which was acquired by United HealthCare. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School with undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati.
35. Tom Mallon – Before founding Regent in 2001, Tom served as a founding member and remains a general partner with Gryffindor Capital Partners, a Chicago-based venture-capital fund. In 1994, he co-founded Same Day Surgery, which acquired five distressed and underutilized ASCs and a physician management company. After recruiting more than 70 physician partners and growing the business from $2 million in annual revenues to over $20 million, Tom successfully sold his interest in 1998. Before his healthcare ventures, Tom enjoyed 12 years of successful commercial office leasing for national firms. Tom has a BA from Denison University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
36. Ajay Mangal, M.D. – Ajay Mangal is the founder, CEO and a Board Member of Prexus Health Partners. He is also an ear, nose and throat physician. As a hands on executive at Prexus, Ajay has been instrumental in developing surgery centers and assisting existing centers and hospitals to prosper. He is becoming a major force in the ASC industry.
37. Thomas A. Michaud – Thomas A. Michaud, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board at Foundation Surgery Affiliates. After graduating from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Mr. Michaud earned his CPA certificate while serving as a staff accountant with the international accounting firm, Ernst & Young. Other experience included that of partner in a local CPA firm, Chief Operating Officer of a regional wholesale company, along with holding the upper management positions of Manager of Management Information Systems as well as Manager of Materials at an aerospace company. Prior to founding Foundation Surgery Affiliates in January of 1996, Mr. Michaud held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of a regional surgery center management company. Mr. Michaud’s responsibilities include marketing the Foundation program to potential surgeon/owner groups, developing new geographic and product markets for the Company, along with medium and long term corporate planning and strategy.
38. Evie Miller – Evie Miller is the Director of Acquisitions of USPI. She is one of the architects of the company’s strategy to focus on physician and hospital driven ventures. A certified public accountant, Evie began her career in banking at an independent banking service organization. Evie also served as Director of Management Information Services for a local community bank for 6 years before returning to accounting at All Saints Health System in Fort Worth, Texas. For four years she was Executive Vice President of Medway Health Systems, overseeing the financial operations of its medical clinics. Evie joined United Surgical Partners as a financial analyst in Development and is now Director, Acquisitions. Evie is responsible for the strategic direction of USPI’s acquisition effort as well as the overall acquisition process.
39. Amy Mowles – Amy is the owner of Mowles Medical Management. Amy is the nation’s premier expert with respect to pain management services provided in practices and provided in surgery centers. She is thoughtful and also has strong opinions for what works and what does not work. She is very smart and a talented advisor to pain management physicians.
40. Tom Mulhern – Tom Mulhern is the executive director of Limestone Medical Center, a large medical office building complex and ambulatory surgical center in Delaware. He has been a leader in the development of ambulatory surgical services and an advocate for the industry. As a member of Delaware’s health planning commission, he has been instrumental in the development of Delaware’s health planning, as well as health planning on a national level.
41. Richard Pence – Richard Pence is President of National Surgical Care and leads the development and management of National Surgical Care’s surgery centers. Before co-founding NSC, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MAGELLA Healthcare, a national group of perinatal health care providers. Mr. Pence also served as Chief Operating Officer for National Surgery Centers and as Controller and Vice President for Medical Care International. A certified public accountant, he is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Commerce and earned a M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University.
42. Thomas J. Pliura, M.D. – Tom Pliura is a doctor, lawyer and the founder and manager of several ambulatory surgical centers. Additionally, he is the founder of zChart EMR, an electronic medical records related company. In addition to these accomplishments, he is an incredibly inventive and interesting individual.
43. John Poisson – John Poisson is the Executive Vice President and Strategic Partnerships Officer of Physicians Endoscopy, the leading ASC industry company specializing in the development and management of freestanding endoscopic ASCs. He has over fourteen years experience in the healthcare field, most of which is specifically focused on medical service outsourcing. He also has extensive experience in information technologies, practice management, and contract management. Remaining actively involved post-development, John regularly assists providers meet or exceed their targets.
44. Karen Sablyak – Karen Sablyak is the CFO and Executive Vice President of Management Services at Physicians Endoscopy. With ten years experience in healthcare finance and operations, Karen’s leadership skills and financial acumen have resulted in tremendous results in reporting and management at Physicians Endoscopy. She has particular expertise in billing processes, the development of policies and procedures, and the analysis and interpretation of healthcare financial data.
45. Caryl Serbin – Caryl Serbin is the President and founder of Surgery Consultants of America, Inc. and Serbin Surgery Center Billing, LLC. She has developed a tremendous team and provides credible and hard working leadership for her company. She provides consulting services for a variety of ASCs including orthopedic, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, pain management, urology, and multi-specialty. She is one of the best executives in the ASC industry and a leading woman executive in the business. Recently, one client commented on Caryl’s efforts as follows, “Her team has been very hard working and has dramatically helped us turn around our center.”
46. Sarah Silberstein – Sarah serves as the Chief Executive Office of the Foundation for Ambulatory Surgery. This is the political arm and fundraising arm of FASA. She has done a tremendous job of growing the importance of FASA along with Kathy Bryant. As the Executive Director of FASA, Sarah Silberstein manages the activities of the nation’s largest ambulatory surgery center (ASC) membership association. FASA represents the interests of multi- and single-specialty ASCs, the health care professionals who deliver health care in ASCs and the patients who seek care in ASCs in policymaking forums across the nation. FASA also assists ASCs in meeting the challenges of operating an ASC through services such as the nation’s largest ASC outcomes monitoring project and a national compliance hotline for ASCs. Silberstein contributes to FASA Update, a bimonthly journal on ASC issues and she frequently consults with state and Federal policy makers on regulatory and legislative issues of interest to ASCs. Before joining FASA in 1999, Ms. Silberstein worked in the Federal government relations department of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Public Health Association. Ms. Silberstein received a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.
47. Jeff Simmons – Jeff Simmons is on the Board of Directors of Regent Surgical Health and is the Western Region President of Regent. He is a leading developer of surgery centers in the country and extremely gifted at trying to keep centers focused on its core goals. He has long term experience in the surgical center industry and hospital industry and is a terrific advocate of physician interests.
48. Sheldon Sones – Sheldon S. Sones, R.Ph. FASCP, is President of Sheldon S. Sones and Associates, a pharmacy and accreditation consulting firm based in Newington, Connecticut. Established in 1985, the group, serving over 100 sites in 5 states, specializes in safe medication management and pharmacy consulting to free standing and hospital based ambulatory surgical, endoscopy, and renal dialysis centers with expertise in accreditation success. In addition, his service provides nationally recognized educational programs for medical and nursing staffs with a focus on safe medication strategies and quality measure and improvement opportunities. In August of 2006 his firm assumed responsibility for Yale New Haven Hospital’s Ambulatory Clinics, Surgical Centers, and Radiology sites at 30 locations.
49. Bill Southwick – Bill Southwick serves as President and CEO of HealthMark Partners, Inc. (HMP) based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is chiefly responsible for the ASC turnaround strategies deployed by HMP and creative joint venture structures that have enabled HMP to partner with both physicians and hospitals in developing new or taking over underperforming facilities. With a background that includes both physician practice management nd financial planning, Bill understands the dynamics of physician partnership and helps guide business structuring decisions that effect physician practice interests and hospital mission, while generating ample return on investment for joint venture parties. It is this experience that has helped HMP gain a reputation for getting things done on physician/hospital joint ventures. Prior to joining HMP Bill formed Southwick Financial Associates, which through merger managed over $100mm in client assets prior to sale. In 1996 Bill entered the healthcare business by helping start HealthMark Partners, Inc. (formerly Women’s Health Partners) the current parent corporation to Surgical Health Partners, (SHP). Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, as well as certification from the American College as a Certified Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant.
50. Kenny Spitler – Kenny Spitler serves as Senior Vice President – Development. He is responsible for all aspects of Development including acquisitions, De novo projects and physician syndications. He also serves as head of Marketing and partners in the role of vendor relations as well as physician recruiting. He joined HealthMark Partners in November 2006. Mr. Spitler has 20 + years in healthcare business development. Kenny’s past experiences have included the entrepreneurial work of start-ups and the challenges of growing market share with a 300 million dollar company.
51. Barry Tanner – Barry Tanner is the President and CEO of Physicians Endoscopy. Prior to joining Physicians Endoscopy, Barry was the co-founder, CFO and COO of Navix Radiology Systems, Inc. of Miami Florida, where he helped build the company into a seventy-five million dollar enterprise. Additionally, Barry has worked for and successfully turned around several other healthcare companies. His knowledge, success and experience are held in high esteem.
52. Daniel R. Tasset – Dan Tasset is the Chairman and CEO of Nueterra Healthcare, a company that manages, develops and owns interest in many ambulatory surgical centers. He founded Nueterra with a goal of empowering physicians to gain more control of their practices. Under his leadership, Nueterra expanded its services to include medical real estate, physical therapy, imaging, financial services and joint venture surgical centers. His long and esteemed career in the ambulatory surgical center business makes him a leader in the industry.
53. Larry Teuber, M.D. – Larry Teuber, a neurosurgeon, is the founder and Physician Executive of Black Hills Surgery Center, LLP, one of the country’s most successful small surgical hospitals. Due to his dynamic skills and knowledge, Larry transformed the ownership of that hospital so that now it is a publicly held company that is partially owned by the Medical Facilities Corporation, where he now is President. Larry is also the founder and current managing partner of The Spine Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.
54. John T. Thomas – John Thomas is the President, and Chief Development Officer and of Cirrus Health. Cirrus, under John’s leadership, has quickly become one of the country’s leading companies in ASC and specialty hospital development. As president and chief development officer, Mr. Thomas is responsible for overseeing all aspects of nationwide development of new surgical facilities for the company. Mr. Thomas joined the management team in early July 2005. He served as the senior vice president-general counsel for Baylor Health Care System, Dallas, Texas from October 2000 to July 1, 2005, with responsibility for all legal affairs, government affairs and public safety for the organization. Prior to his appointment at Baylor, Mr. Thomas served as general counsel/ secretary for the Sisters of Mercy Health System, a division of Unity Health System (St. Louis, Missouri) from April 1997 to September 2000. Mr. Thomas was a partner at Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal (Kansas City, Missouri) before moving in-house, and started his career on Wall Street in New York at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy. Education: Mr. Thomas received his BS degree with special distinction and honors in economics from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, where he lettered as a scholarship football player. He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in May 1990 where he was Order of the Coif and Executive Research Editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law.
Other: Mr. Thomas published, as a co-author, three articles in the Journal of Partnership Taxation (Warren, Gorham Lamont) and has served as an Editor for the Aspen Publications series, Corporations Law.
55. John Vick – John Vick is a leading consultant in the ASC industry and is renowned for matching corporate partners with physicians and matching buyers and sellers of surgery centers. John’s career in the industry started with his development of an endoscopy chain.
56. Michael Weaver – Michael Weaver is one of the strongest development executives in the ASC industry. He is smart and driven and has helped Symbion to grow into one of the largest ASC chains. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President at Symbion.
57. Robert Westergard – Robert Westergard is the Chief Financial Officer of ASCOA. Prior to joining ASCOA in 2002, he worked as the Controller for Truman Capital Advisors, a mortgage banking firm specializing in the securitization of sub-prime mortgage loan assets. Mr. Westergard has an additional eight years of finance and accounting experience in the healthcare, specialty chemical, and software industries. He has a BS in Accounting from Brigham Young University. Mr. Westergard is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the AICPA. Rob is one of the principle backgrounds of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America. He serves as the Chief Financial Officer and does a tremendous job of tracking and keeping the company on course.
58. David Woodrum – David Woodrum is one of the founders and a Partner of Woodrum ASD, an ASC management and development company. In this role, he provides clients with consultations in the areas of planning, management, finance, loss prevention, marketing, physician group practice management, executive recruitment, and JCAHO compliance. David brings a wealth of experience to his position as he previously served as executive vice president and COO of the American Hospital Association.
59. Thomas R. Yerden – Tom Yerden is the founder of TRY Ventures. He was the Founder and CEO of Aspen Healthcare before selling that company to National Surgical Care. He has established and planned more than 40 physician hospital ASC joint ventures. He serves on the FASA Board. Tom is President and CEO of TRY Health Care Solutions, LLC. TRY Health Care Solutions provides ambulatory surgery consulting services to large healthcare systems, group practices, independent physicians and existing surgery centers throughout the United States.
60. Joe Zasa – Joe Zasa is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Woodrum/Ambulatory Systems Development, a national ambulatory surgery center development and management firm that specializes in developing, managing and operating multi-specialty and single specialty ambulatory surgery centers. Founded in 1986 and based in Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles, Woodrum/ASD currently manages 21 ambulatory surgery centers throughout the United States and is one of the largest privately held surgery center companies. The majority of the Woodrum/ASD surgery centers are hospital physician-joint ventures, or projects with large academic medical centers. As managing partner, responsibilities include oversight of firm personnel, implementation of company mission and identification of new business opportunities for the firm. Duties include overseeing pre-development planning and financing of new surgery center projects, de-novo development of surgery center operational systems and ongoing management of the firm’s surgery centers. As an operator of ambulatory surgery centers, particular emphasis is placed on implementing and refining the management program for the firm’s centers; accordingly, Mr. Zasa personally oversees the management program.
61. Robert Zasa – Robert Zasa is a founder and Partner at Woodrum/ASD. He is experienced in all phases of business development in multiservice ambulatory care facilities, group practices, ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals. That experience includes management, development, expansion, acquisition, ownership structuring and marketing. He is a founder and former executive of Premier Ambulatory Systems, Inc. and a long time advocate and leader in the ASC business.
62. Greg Zoch – Greg Zoch has been involved with the marketing of health care organizations and services and with the recruitment of health care professionals since 1990. Greg’s deep knowledge and healthcare industry experience has given him keen insight into the issues, trends and motivating factors that are fundamental to business development, career growth, satisfaction and retention. His primary focus is on the strategic growth and staffing initiatives of client companies, who develop, manage, consult with, and/or own and operate ambulatory surgery centers, and specialty hospitals throughout America. Greg’s assignments are primarily for clinical and operational leadership positions. These are typically corporate and facility level Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operations Officers, Chief Nursing Officers, Ambulatory Surgery Center Administrators & Directors of Nursing, as well as Regional to National Directors & Vice Presidents and C-level individuals in Facilities Development and Operations.
63. Bryan Zowin – Bryan graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/finance and started his career as a healthcare consultant in 1990. Bryan is the president of Physician Advantage Inc., a healthcare management company located in Peoria, Illinois. The company provides management services to a wide range of healthcare specialties including: Surgical Centers, Anesthesia, Orthopedics, Urology, ENT, OB-Gyn, Facial Plastic, Pain Management and Primary Care. P.A. Inc. also provides Medicare/Medicaid compliance plans and audits. A significant portion of Bryan’s time is dedicated to assisting clients in maximizing practice operation and financial performance. Bryan provides his clients with financial review, ownership options, budgeting, strategic planning, billing and reimbursement recommendations, managed care contracting, new venture analysis and other organizational issues.
