Here are 66 CEOs of ambulatory surgery center management and development companies. The CEOs on this list work tirelessly to improve surgery center efficiencies, build strong physician relationships and boost profitability for their partnered centers. CEOs do not and cannot pay to be on this list; there is no fee associated with any Becker's list. Please contact Rachel Fields at rfields@beckershealthcare.com with any questions.
Vito Quatela, MD (Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies). Dr. Quatela co-founded AHS and serves as CEO. He developed and owns two ASCs in Rochester, N.Y., and founded HUGS, a non-profit organization that does medical mission trips into third-world countries. He is a board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
Luke Lambert (Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America). Mr. Lambert has served as CEO of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America since 2002, after having served as CFO for five years. His background includes experience in financing, strategy and operations. He previously worked for Smith Barney in international sell-side equity research and at Booz, Allen & Hamilton and Ernst & Young in venture exploration and reengineering business processes. Mr. Lambert earned his MBA from Columbia University in New York City and was among the first to earn the CASC designation in 2002. ASCOA currently operates 37 facilities across the country and continues to look for new partnership opportunities.
Christopher A. Holden (AmSurg). Mr. Holden has been AmSurg's president, CEO and director since Oct. 2007. The company specializes in managing and developing 3,000-4,000-square-feet single-specialty centers. During his time with AmSurg, the company's growth has accelerated through acquisitions. He has more than 21 years of experience, primarily with multi-facility and multi-market healthcare management. He previously served as senior vice president and a division president of Triad Hospitals, where he was a founding team member and officer. Mr. Holden also held several officer positions with Nashville, Tenn.-based Columbia/HCA Healthcare.
Jared Leger (Arise Healthcare). Mr. Leger is a co-founder and managing partner of Arise Healthcare. The company currently owns and operates various healthcare-related businesses with a focus on ASCs. His background as a registered nurse coupled with his healthcare business background has allowed him to grow Arise Healthcare at an accelerated pace. His past experience includes healthcare finance, mergers and acquisitions, development and operations. He has also syndicated and operated several physician-owned surgery centers. In addition to leading Arise, Mr. Leger owns a real estate investment company based out of Austin, Texas.
Jesse Chamberlain (Artisan Medical). Mr. Chamberlain is managing partner of Artisan Medical and has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, including healthcare sales, international sales and product development for Johnson & Johnson, Chiron Vision and Bausch & Lomb. He previously managed Procter & Gamble's co-op merchandising agreements compliance program in Cleveland. He earned an MBA in organizational development.
Robert O. Baratta, MD (Ascent Surgical Partners). Dr. Baratta is partner and CEO of Ascent Surgical Partners. He is an ophthalmologist who has 25 years of experience managing surgery centers. He previously served as chairman and CEO of Ascent Health Care Advisors, as well as President, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors of Ecosphere Technologies, formerly known as UltraStrip Systems. Since 1996, Dr. Baratta has been on the board of directors of FPIC Insurance Company, where he served as chairman from 1999 to 2007. He has also served as a director of First Professionals Insurance Company and president and board chairman of the Surgery Center of Stuart.
Joseph Zasa, JD (ASD Management). Mr. Zasa is the co-founder and managing partner of ASD Management (formerly Woodrum/ASD). Founded in 1986, the company is one of the oldest continually operating surgery center companies, with more than 125 surgery centers developed and managed over the last twenty-six years. ASD currently operates 29 ASCs throughout the United States. It is an operations-focused company and has had great success with ASC turnarounds and hospital/physician joint ventures, according to Mr. Zasa. In addition to his work with ASD Management, Mr. Zasa is the former president of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and currently serves on its board.
Robert Zasa (ASD Management). Mr. Zasa is a founder and managing partner of ASD Management, a national healthcare services firm that consults with physicians, physician groups, and hospitals to develop and manage ambulatory surgery businesses. Mr. Zasa is experienced in all phases of business development, marketing, expansion, structuring, and management of multi-service ambulatory care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospitals. In the early 1990s, Mr. Zasa founded and served as president and CEO of Premier Ambulatory Systems, a firm that acquired, developed, owned and operated ambulatory surgery centers across the U.S. Previously, Mr. Zasa was managing general partner of a national ambulatory care consulting firm and was involved in the founding and public offering of the AlternaCare Corporation.
Tim Bogardus (Ambulatory Surgery Division, Community Health Systems). Mr. Bogardus is the director of ambulatory surgery centers for Community Health Systems. He previously served as group vice president for Nueterra Healthcare where he was responsible for the operations of seven ASCs and surgical hospitals. He was also vice president of operations for a start-up ASC company and administrator for two de novo ASCs.
Gregary W. Beasley (Ambulatory Surgery Division, Hospital Corporation of America). Mr. Beasley serves as President of HCA's Ambulatory Surgery Division. He was previously COO of the ambulatory surgery division, in charge of daily operations. Prior to joining HCA, Mr. Beasley spent nearly four years at HealthSouth Medical Center as controller and chief operating officer. He has also worked for the VHA for three years and Ernst and Young for two years. Mr. Beasley attended Texas Tech University where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in accounting in 1986 and became a certified public accountant in 1989.
Jeff Leland (Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners). Mr. Leland is CEO of Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners. The company has developed and manages 16 surgery centers, many of them focused on spine surgery. He previously served as executive director of Lutheran General Medical Group, a 260-physician, multi-specialty medical group in Chicago. In the past he served as a senior-level executive with Advocate Health Care in Chicago. He was also president of HealthSpring Medical Group and CEO of Western Ohio Health Care, an HMO with more than 250,000 members that was acquired by United HealthCare. Mr. Leland is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School in Boston.
Barry D. Smith (Cirrus Health). As CEO, Mr. Smith is responsible for overseeing the management and overall success of the Cirrus Health organization. Prior to joining Cirrus, Mr. Smith served for more than 20 years with the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, Texas, where he was senior vice president of finance for HealthTexas Provider Network, a 501(a) corporation wholly owned by Baylor Health Care System. As CFO for HealthTexas, Mr. Smith was responsible for financial and management reporting, accounting, billing and collection and budgeting and long range financial planning. As vice president of finance, Mr. Smith was primarily responsible for the planning, establishment and financial development of the initial investment of approximately $25 million to establish HealthTexas, which included the acquisition of physician practices. Mr. Smith received both his master's degree in accountancy and his bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Texas at Arlington. Mr. Smith is a certified public accountant and a member of the Texas Society of CPAs. He is also a part of the VHA 501(a) group as well as an instructor in advancing best care at Baylor.
Daniel S. D'Amico (Clarity Development). Mr. D'Amico serves as CEO of the Clarity Development and Clarity Realty. His healthcare experience includes being vice president of development and operations for multiple hospital companies and developing, syndicating, financing, building, staffing, equipping, opening and serving as the CEO of numerous health care facilities. Mr. D'Amico is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and has an MBA from Golden Gate University, Monterey, Calif.
Ronald A. Duperroir (Clarity Development). Mr. Duperroir serves as CEO of Clarity Health and Clarity Government Services. He brings 24 years of operations experience with an extensive background in resource loading, resource leveling, scope preparation, client relationships, cost avoidance, continuous design improvement and conducting executive status meetings and client reviews. His education includes a bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Oregon and a master's degree in healthcare administration from Baylor University.
Ravi Chopra (The C/N Group). Mr. Chopra serves as president and CEO of The C/N Group. In his current position, the company has completed healthcare-related projects totaling more than $75 million in capital expenditures. The company and its affiliated entities comprise an annual revenue base in excess of $20 million. Prior to founding The C/N Group in 1980, he served in various executive management positions in the steel industry, including chief industrial engineer for Youngstown Steel (now International Steel Group) and director of engineering services for Wisconsin Steel (now Envirodyne Industries). He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India, a master's degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Kris Mineau (Constitution Surgery Centers). Mr. Mineau co-founded CSC in 1997 and serves as its president and CEO. He has led the company's growth for the past 15 years, partnering with over 200 physicians to build surgery centers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prior to founding CSC, Mr. Mineau was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and received a Bachelor's degree in management from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He is involved in many professional organizations, including the Connecticut Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, for which he served as founding president.
Richard K. Jacques (Covenant Surgical Partners). Mr. Jacques, president and CEO of Covenant Surgical Partners, has more than 18 years of experience in the ASC industry, including senior management positions with both public and private healthcare companies. He was previously president and director of Surgical Health Group and vice president of business development for AmSurg, where he helped develop a system and methodology the company used to acquire or develop almost 100 ASCs during his time there.
Terry Weisman (Denovo Development). Mr. Weisman serves as president of Denovo Development, which focuses on ground-up development of surgical centers including physicians LLC formation, real estate investment and development, operations and management. He began his career in the workers' compensation industry, developing urgent care, physical therapy and industrial medicine facilities in partnership with physicians. After 11 years in that business, he was hired by Andrew Brooks of California-based company Specialty Surgical Center in order to grow the business. After the company was sold to Symbion, he started De Novo Development, where he currently develops new surgery centers, locates surgery center for physicians seeking a facility and consults with existing facilities to improve efficiencies and profits. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Drury University.
Lori Ramirez (Elite Surgical Affiliates). Ms. Ramirez founded Elite Surgical Affiliates in 2008 and now leads as its president and CEO. Elite provides management and development for surgical facilities, with a special emphasis on orthopedics, spine and pain. With many surgical facilities operational in Texas and many others in the development phase, Elite is off to a "remarkable start," she says. Before founding Elite Surgical Affiliates, Ms. Ramirez was a senior vice president at United Surgical Partners International. In this role, she gained extensive experience in creating joint ventures, including one between Memorial Hermann in Houston and CHRISTUS Health System in South Texas. She also was directly responsible for developing the second-largest network of surgical facilities for USPI in Houston and supervised more than 600 employees. Ms. Ramirez oversaw more than 20 surgical facilities, including two surgical hospitals (one of which included an imaging center and three breast imaging centers).
J.A. Ziskind (Global Surgical Partners). Mr. Ziskind, founder, president and CEO of Global Surgical Partners, has been involved in Florida's healthcare industry since the 1970s, including serving as CEO of Miami's Cedars Medical Center. He has also served as a healthcare attorney and helped develop and manage several physician-hospital joint venture ASCs. Mr. Ziskind co-founded and was general counsel to the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgical Centers, served on the Pan American hospital board of directors and has served as general counsel to the Dade County Medical Association for more than two decades. He currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for Mercy Foundation.
Edward P. Hetrick (Facility Development & Management). Mr. Hetrick, the founder and president of Facility Development & Management, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, with over 20 years of ASC experience. He has held key administrative positions in major teaching hospitals, national consulting firms and practice management companies. Mr. Hetrick and FDM have developed over 50 surgery centers nationally and managed numerous centers on an ongoing basis. Mr. Hetrick earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point (N.Y.) and dual Masters' degrees Business and Public Health from Columbia University in New York City.
Thomas A. Michaud (Foundation Surgery Affiliates). After graduating from Boston College with a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Mr. Michaud earned his CPA certificate while serving as a staff accountant with the international accounting firm, Ernst & Young. Prior to founding Foundation Surgery Affiliates in January 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 partners, developing new geographic and product markets for the company, along with medium and long term corporate planning and strategy.
Cecilia Kronawitter (HDA Enterprises). Ms. Kronawitter serves as president of HDA Enterprises. She began her career as a facility planner and rose to department head of a well-known architectural firm, specializing in healthcare. From there, Ms. Kronawitter decided to open her own firm, where she has personally directed the development of more than 200 facilities worldwide. In 2007, Ms. Kronawitter opened a sister company to HDA Enterprises, where she collaborated with innovative management professionals and formed HDA International Management, a corporation offering a full range of healthcare management consulting services.
Chuck Peck, MD (Health Inventures). Dr. Peck, an internist and rheumatologist, serves as president and CEO of Health Inventures. The company currently manages approximately 30 ASCs and surgical hospitals and 11 sleep centers around the country. He has more than 30 years of healthcare experience as a clinician, educator and leader. Dr. Peck began his career at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve Medical School. Since then, he has held many positions in the healthcare industry, including CEO of a physician group multi-specialty practice, partner with a global healthcare consulting firm, president of several regions of a national health insurance company, CMO of a retail health clinic operator and CMO/COO of a disease management company, which he helped turn around. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a board member of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
Bill Simon (Innovative Healthcare Management). Mr. Simon is president and founder of Innovative Healthcare, a company that provides development and management services for outpatient surgery and endoscopy centers throughout southern California. IHM has developed five centers and consults with and manages an additional two centers. Mr. Simon's responsibilities include facility development and design, physician recruitment, equipment planning and negotiation and facility leadership and management. Before founding IHM in 1995, Mr. Simon developed the Pain & Rehabilitation Medical Group, a 7,000-square-foot outpatient facility in Los Angeles. He holds a bachelor's in finance and a JD, and is currently a member of the State Bar of California.
Jeff Sapp (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Mr. Sapp serves as principal of Innovative Surgical Solutions Management along with Nancy Kastner. He has 21 years of healthcare management experience. Prior to joining ISSM, he served as vice president of development for USPI, the largest owner and operator of surgery centers nationwide. He was also the co-founder and executive vice president of ASC operations for Surgis, which was formed in 2001 with the industry's largest contribution ($100 million) from a private equity firm. The company was sold to UPSI for $200 million in 2005. Prior to founding Surgis, Mr. Sapp co-founded and served as senior vice president of development for Surgical Synergies, an ASC company. He has also served as the administrator of Same Day Surgicenter of Orlando.
Nancy Kastner (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Along with Jeff Sapp, Nancy Kastner serves as principal for Innovative Surgical Solutions Management, a company that raises funding for new surgery centers and guides them through the development process. Ms. Kastner has expertise in increasing profitability for surgery centers, medical practices and hospitals and conducting a compressive analysis of internal operations. She has conducted a physician buy-out of a financially challenged ASC, taking the surgery center from unprofitable to profitable and 90 percent physician owned within six months. She has also performed conversions of accredited surgery centers to accredited hospital outpatient departments and has successfully appealed numerous Medicare decisions. Ms. Kastner holds a Master's degree in commercial lending from the University of Virginia.
Stephen Rosenbaum (Interventional Management Services). Mr. Rosenbaum is co-founder and CEO of IMS. During more than 20 years of healthcare-related experience, Mr. Rosenbaum has served as vice president of finance for development at MedCath and helped develop Carolinas Surgery Center. In addition, Mr. Rosenbaum created an independent healthcare consulting company, SourceRevenue, where he was involved in the development of a neurosurgical hospital and a physician-owned hospital. He also worked with The Bloom Organization to provide investment banking services to physician-owned ASCs, during which time he was involved in more than $100 million of ASC transactions. In 2008, Rosenbaum joined The Interventional Spine and Pain Management Center and created IMS with Dr. Robin Fowler. As CEO of IMS, Rosenbaum is responsible for the day-to-day operations of ten healthcare companies and over $35 million in annual revenues.
Bill Horne (Laser Spine Institute, Tampa, Fla.). Mr. Horne is CEO of Laser Spine Institute. LSI's flagship facility is in Tampa, Fla., and LSI has grown to include four surgical facilities. Mr. Horne underwent a minimally invasive spine procedure performed by Dr. St. Louis, which triggered his interest in minimally invasive spine care. Before joining LSI, Mr. Horne founded Club Operations and Property Management, a leading management company for country, city and yacht clubs.
John R. Seitz (ManageMyASC). Mr. Seitz is President and CEO of ManageMyASC (www.managemyasc.com), a real-time, interactive management tool that provides an unprecedented view into the financial and operational performance of a surgical center with tracking, benchmarking, analysis and recommendations. He has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, including founding and leading start-up companies. Prior to joining ASG, Mr. Seitz served as founder and CEO of Cornerstone Physicians, a medical practice management company. Mr. Seitz is a graduate of Boston's Harvard Business School Owners and Presidents Management program.
David F. "Buddy" Bacon, Jr. (Meridian Surgical Partners). Mr. Bacon is a founder and the CEO of Meridian Surgical Partners and has more than 22 years of experience in the healthcare sector. He served as CFO of Medifax-EDI, a Nashville, Tenn.-based healthcare IT company, for five years and as CEO for two. Prior to Medifax-EDI, Mr. Bacon worked in public accounting with Lattimore, Black, Morgan & Cain. He graduated from David Lipscomb College in Nashville with a BS in accounting and is a CPA.
William B. Rabourn, Jr. (Medical Consulting Group). Mr. Rabourn is CEO and a managing principal of MCG, a consulting firm that provides ASCs with financial, IT and marketing services, among others. Mr. Rabourn, founder of MCG, was previously a business instructor at Missouri State University in Springfield and CMO and vice president of a major financial institution. He also co-founded Vein and Laser Centers. Mr. Rabourn is a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
Donald Schellpfeffer, MD (Medical Facilities Corp.). Dr. Schellpfeffer is the CEO of Medical Facilities Corporation and Sioux Falls (S.D.) Specialty Hospital. As an original founder of Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital, Dr. Schellpfeffer has been its CEO and a member of the management committee since the facility's inception in 1985. He has more than 30 years of experience in ambulatory surgical environments and in general, cardiovascular and trauma practices and has also authored numerous medical publications. Dr. Schellpfeffer received a bachelor's degree from the University of
Wisconsin; a master's degree and a bachelor of science degree from the College of Veterinary and Medicine; a Ph.D. in animal physiology from the University of Minnesota; and an M.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. He completed his residency in anesthesiology in Wisconsin.
David M. Thoene (Medical Surgical Partners). CEO David M. Thoene founded Medical Surgical Partners and has 27 years of experience in ASC consulting and development. He has served as vice president of development for FSC Health and Titan Health, and founded the development arm of Randlett Associates. Mr. Thoene helped develop the two models for locally-owned and managed ASCs.
Matt Searles (Merritt Healthcare). Mr. Searles has been a partner with Merritt Healthcare for more than 10 years. During that time, he has managed, developed and advised for dozens of healthcare facilities across the country. Mr. Searles is also a registered investment banking agent holding Series 79 and Series 63 licenses. In 2011, Merritt completed $50 million in ASC transactions and expects to complete $85 million in transactions in 2012 as a buy or sell side advisor to hospitals and ASC clients. His background includes experience in corporate finance and venture capital-backed companies. He earned his MBA from Duke University in Durham, N.C.
Amy Mowles (Mowles Medical Management). Ms. Mowles is president and CEO of Mowles Medical Management. She has guided numerous new ventures and established ASCs and physician practices through regulations, licensing, certification and accreditation processes. In 1996, Ms. Mowles became involved with pain management specialists. Recognizing the need for public awareness and education of interventional pain management procedures, she assisted physicians in establishing the Mid-Atlantic Pain Society. Ms. Mowles' experience with CMS policy analysts and ASC and pain management societies cemented her reputation as a leading expert in pain management practices and ASC development.
Robert Murphy (Murphy Healthcare). Mr. Murphy is founder and CEO of Murphy Healthcare and has been involved in the turnaround of more than 30 ASCs with a total market capitalization of more than $650 million. The turnarounds were overseen by Murphy Healthcare's ASC Turnaround Group. In his role as CEO, he focuses on strategic planning for each center as well as mergers and acquisitions. He is on the board of trustees of Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. He received a master's degree in health administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Bob Scheller (Nikitis Resource Group). Mr. Scheller is CEO and COO of NRG. He previously served as senior vice president of Aspen Healthcare. Before becoming involved in the ASC industry, he worked in public accounting and later hospital administration and physician practice consulting. He earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
David Ayers (Nueterra Healthcare). Mr. Ayers, CEO of Nueterra Healthcare, offers 30 years of experience developing, building and managing hospitals in addition to leading the development of a number of ambulatory surgery, imaging, physical therapy and urgent care centers. Mr. Ayers continues to expand his considerable experience working with physicians and health systems to develop domestic and international partnerships through Nueterra Healthcare's global growth strategy. He also serves on the board of directors of Physicians Hospitals of America and the government affairs committee for ASCA.
James H. Cobb (Orion Medical Services). Mr. Cobb is founder, president and CEO of Orion Medical Services. He has more than 38 years of experience in management and has focused the past 25 years in the medical field. He has developed, constructed and managed seven high-volume ASCs in the last 12 years. He previously served as CEO for the Pacific Cataract Laser Institute and Pacific Eye Center and is a member of the Medical Group Management Association and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
Chris McMenemy (Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services). Ms. McMenemy is president and CEO of Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services. She recently took on this role after the retirement in June of 2011 of longtime ASC consultant, Fred W. Ortmann, III, a founding member of AmSurg and founder of Ortmann Healthcare Consultants. Ms. McMenemy has worked with the company since its opening in 2001, specializing in financial feasibility studies, regulatory issues and implementation of IT systems. Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services is continuing the vision of Mr. Ortmann by continuing to develop denovo projects as well as the management of existing ASCs, accreditation assistance, plan of correction assistance, managed care consulting and ASC billing. Ms. McMenemy received her MS from the University of Kansas and is currently on the Medical Advisory Board for Orbis International, whose mission is saving sight worldwide.
Barry Tanner, CPA (Physicians Endoscopy). Mr. Tanner has been president and CEO of Physicians Endoscopy since 1999 and co-authored the company's business plan together with CFO Karen Sablyak. The company currently owns and manages 23 endoscopy centers in partnership with physicians and hospitals. Before joining PE, Mr. Tanner held various senior executive positions in healthcare for over 20 years, working both on the provider side and in financial services.
Richard L. DeHart (Pinnacle III). Mr. DeHart is co-founder and CEO of Pinnacle III. He has more than 18 years of experience in outpatient healthcare. Mr. DeHart provides Pinnacle III's clients with expertise in strategic planning, development and management of surgery centers, diagnostic imaging and physical rehabilitation services. Prior to Pinnacle III's creation, he oversaw the management of 14 surgery centers in five states for one of the nation's largest publicly traded surgery center companies. He also provided operational services for several outpatient rehabilitation facilities. He graduated from California State University at Chico.
Larry D. Taylor (Practice Partners in Healthcare). Mr. Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare delivery, management and physician relations. Prior to founding Practice Partners in HealthCare, he served as president and COO of the largest provider of ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S. His initial entry into healthcare was focused in the delivery of sports medicine and orthopedic care. As a clinician, he experienced the processes, challenges and expectations healthcare workers face, and his commitments to clinical outcomes and patient care and to those who deliver them remain a focus throughout his career. Since founding Practice Partners, the team has developed and opened multiple surgery centers and has a pipeline of centers under development and construction. The founder also has a background in education and currently serves as an adjunct professor in healthcare at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and participates as a board member for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Foundation. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and a nationally certified athletic trainer.
Thomas Mallon (Regent Surgical Health). Mr. Mallon co-founded Regent Surgical Health in 2001 and serves as CEO. Over the past 11 years, the surgery center management and development company has grown to include 24 facilities in the US and Europe. Seventeen of those partnerships are hospital/physician joint ventures. The leadership team is committed to structuring sustainable partnerships that align the interests of all parties, and positioning its centers to meet the constantly changing market conditions. With significant experience in venture capital funds, turnarounds and physician recruitment, Mr. Mallon offers each facility his expertise on all aspects of clinical and financial operations. He earned a bachelor's from Denison University and his MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Todd Borst (Smithfield Surgical Partners). Mr. Borst is CEO of Smithfield Surgical Partners and manages the company along with principals Gregory Horner, MD, and Steve Mohebi. Smithfield collaborates with physician partners to create and manage medical office buildings, surgical facilities and medical malls. The company maintains minority ownership of its surgical facilities when construction is complete.
Kenneth R. Ross (Solara Surgical Partners). Mr. Ross is CEO of Solara Surgical Partners and has more than 30 years of management experience in healthcare, energy and finance, including 17 years in operations management, finance, strategy and business development in several healthcare industries. He previously founded and developed Solara Healthcare, where he helped develop seven long-term acute care hospitals. Mr. Ross is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a member of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Adjunct Faculty and a CPA.
Jeremy Hogue (Sovereign Healthcare). Mr. Hogue is co-founder, president and CEO of Sovereign Healthcare, which operates surgery centers in California and Arizona, as well as provides management services for physician group practices.. He previously served as vice president of Audax Group, a private equity investment firm where he launched and ran the firm's West Coast office. He was also an associate in the investment banking group of Lehman Brothers. Mr. Hogue received his JD from Harvard Law School in Boston and his MBA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Brian Massoud, MD (Spine Centers of America). Dr. Massoud is founder and head surgeon at Spine Centers of America in Fair Lawn, N.J. He received training at Texas Back Institute in Plano, and has performed more than 1,000 endoscopic spine surgeries, including endoscopic cervical spine surgery. He also trains spine surgeons in endoscopic procedures, and articles he has authored on the subject are published in professional journals. Along with his clinical practice, Dr. Massoud is an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Seton Hall University's School of Health and Medical Sciences in South Orange, N.J. He earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J., completed his orthopedic surgery residency at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.
Gregory George, MD and Sean O'Neal (SurgCenter Development). Dr. George and Sean O'Neal are founding principals and CEOs of SurgCenter Development. Dr. George, an ophthalmologist, received his medical degree and PhD in ocular physiology from Duke University in Durham, N.C. Mr. O'Neal, who has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare management, completed postgraduate studies in health services administration at California State University, Northridge. Under Dr. George and Mr. O'Neal's leadership, SurgCenter Development has developed over 100 physician-owned ASCs.
John H. Hajjar, MD (Surgem). Dr. Hajjar studied medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. where he graduated in 1981. He completed his surgical and urological training at New York University Medical Center in Manhattan. After spending some time researching the genetic aspects of kidney cancer, Dr. Hajjar decided to focus his energies on clinical urology and patient care. Since 1987, Dr. Hajjar has been practicing urology in northern New Jersey, where he has developed a reputation as a skilled urologic surgeon and is currently the CEO of a large multi-specialty practice called Sovereign Medical Group. In 1992, he pioneered the first ambulatory surgery center in Bergen County. In 1999 he received his MBA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, with specialization in office-based ASCs. In 2005, he founded Surgem, a development and management company that has equity and manages 12 surgical centers, with another seven in the construction and development phase. He holds appointments and actively practices urology at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., and St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, N.J.
George Tinawi, MD (Surgery Center Partners). Dr. Tinawi co-founded Surgery Center Partners and its management subsidiary SCP Management with Samuel Marcus, MD, five years after they created a free-standing surgery center for their own practice. Dr. Tinawi was a practicing physician in Mountain View, Calif. He is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. He graduated from the Medical School of University of Aleppo in Syria.
Scott Leggett (Surgery One). Mr. Leggett is CEO of Surgery One and has more than 17 years of experience in orthopedics. He has served in a development and regional management role for U.S. Orthopedics, which was acquired by National Surgical Hospitals in 2001. Mr. Leggett previously developed and managed the OrthoMed Spine & Joint Conditioning and WellStrong Centers for the orthopedic department of the University of California, San Diego. He was president of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association from 2006 to 2007 and now serves on the board. He earned a master's degree in exercise science from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Michael Doyle (Surgery Partners). Mr. Doyle is CEO of Surgery Partners, where he is responsible for overseeing the firm's day-to-day operation and continued growth. He has experience developing and managing hospitals, surgical centers, rehabilitation facilities and imaging centers. Throughout his career, Mr. Doyle has been a hands-on manager with a wealth of healthcare knowledge, and he applies his practical experience of managing and developing healthcare services to his current position. In 2012 he led the Surgery Partners team in the successful acquisition and integration of Novamed. Mr. Doyle earned a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and an MBA from Troy (Ala.) State University.
Andrew Hayek (Surgical Care Affiliates). Mr. Hayek serves as president and CEO of Surgical Care Affiliates and is a member of the SCA board of directors. SCA operates 145 surgical facilities in partnership with more than 2,000 physicians and 30 health systems. Prior to SCA, Mr. Hayek served as president of a division of DaVita Inc., a renal dialysis provider, and as president and COO of Alliance Healthcare Services Inc., a diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy provider. Mr. Hayek also worked at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm, and the Boston Consulting Group, a strategy consulting firm, prior to joining SCA. He currently serves on the board of directors of Senior Home Care, a home healthcare company, and the board of advisors of Sg2, a healthcare consulting company. Andrew earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University.
G. Edward Alexander (Surgical Development Partners). Mr. Alexander is president and CEO of SDP. His experience in healthcare management includes serving as CFO of TeamHealth, founder and CFO of OrthoLink Physicians, founding president and CEO of Surgical Alliance and vice president of finance and treasurer of Medaphis. He has also served as vice president of finance and controller of Realty Development and CPA at Deloitte and Touche. He earned his degree from Emory University in Atlanta.
Rodney H. Lunn (Surgical Health Group/PhyBus). Mr. Lunn serves as the CEO of PhyBus, LLC and Surgical Health Group and is considered by many as the original pioneer of the contemporary ambulatory surgery center concept, having transformed the traditional ASC into a practical, successful business model. During his 25-year career in the ASC industry, he has developed over 150 ASCs throughout the United States. Mr. Lunn has also served in numerous chief management roles for various healthcare companies. His experience also includes founder, director, and senior vice president of AmSurg, vice president of finance and CFO of American Medical Centers, CFO of INA (now Cigna) Healthplan of Texas, and vice president of HealthAmerica in Florida.
Blake Curd, MD (Surgical Management Professionals). Dr. Curd is chairman of the board of directors for Surgical Management Professionals. He completed his fellowship training at the Indiana Hand Center, the largest freestanding center dedicated to hand and upper extremity care, research and education. Dr. Curd completed his medical education at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine, internship at David Grant United States Air Force Medical Center and a residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center. Dr. Curd is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker on topics covering hand and upper extremity surgery. He has given lectures and performed surgery on five continents. Dr. Curd is an active proponent of physician ownership in healthcare. He is frequently interviewed and asked for comments for various media at the local, regional and national level. Dr. Curd serves as a director for Physician Hospitals of America and is a manager for Medical Facilities Corporation USA.
J. Michael Ribaudo, MD (Surgical Synergies). Dr. Ribaudo is chairman and CEO of Surgical Synergies. He has more than 27 years of experience as a surgeon, healthcare executive and real estate developer. He previously served as executive vice president of Surgical Health and HealthSouth Surgery Centers. He currently serves on the board of directors of Flow International and chairs its compensation committee. He is also co-founder of Surgical Anesthesia Services. Dr. Ribaudo had graduate medical school training at Emory University in Atlanta, Washington University in St. Louis and New York University in New York City.
Richard E. Francis, Jr. (Symbion Healthcare). Mr. Francis serves as chairman and CEO of Symbion, positions he has held since 2002 and 1999, respectively. Under his leadership, Symbion became a publicly held company and an ASC chain with nearly 100 successful surgery centers. He previously served as president and CEO of UniPhy, which formed Symbion with Ambulatory Resource Centres in 1999. He has also served as senior vice president of development and regional vice president of HealthTrust. During his time with HealthTrust, he was responsible for operations of 11 hospitals in five states.
Kyle Burtnett (Tenet Healthcare). Mr. Burtnett serves as vice president of outpatient services for Tenet Healthcare. He joined Tenet in 2003 as an associate in its leadership development program and has filled several roles since then, including key work on quality and growth initiatives, before being named chief of staff to the CEO and, later, a vice president. Mr. Burtnett is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a former air force officer. He earned his MBA from the University of Southern California.
Krystal Mims (Texas Health Partners). Ms. Mims is president of Texas Health Partners. She serves on the executive team of Texas Health Resources and oversees the management and coordination of care for five of Texas Health's most successful joint ventures. Since joining Texas Health Partners in 2004, Ms. Mims participated in the development of each of these projects and oversaw the operations from groundbreaking to successful operations. Ms. Mims is an advocate for physician leadership within the healthcare organization and works closely with physician and clinical leaders in her role as president.
Tom Yerden (TRY Health Care Solutions). Mr. Yerden serves as CEO of TRY Health Care Solutions. During his more than 31 years of experience in the ASC industry, Mr. Yerden has worked with group practices and healthcare systems. He previously founded Aspen Healthcare and helped plan, develop, open and manage more than 75 surgery centers. Prior to forming Aspen Healthcare, Mr. Yerden held COO and other executive positions in several healthcare systems and large physician group practices where he developed outpatient surgery centers and new outpatient surgical delivery systems. Mr. Yerden has authored several publications on ASC issues and is a national speaker on those topics.
William Wilcox (United Surgical Partners International). Mr. Wilcox has served as CEO of USPI since April 2004. The company currently owns and operates outpatient surgical facilities across the U.S. and United Kingdom. More than half of the facilities in the U.S. are jointly owned facilities with non-profit healthcare systems and hospitals. Prior to joining USPI in 1998, Mr. Wilcox served as CEO of United Dental Care, president of the Surgery Group of HCA, president and CEO of the ambulatory surgery division of HCA and president, COO and director of Medical Care International.
Ann Deters (Vantage Outsourcing). Ms. Deters is CEO of Vantage Outsourcing, a cataract outsourcing service serving hospital and surgery center clients throughout the country. Vantage provides clients with ophthalmic equipment, trained ophthalmic surgical coordinator technicians, intraocular lens and other cataract surgery supplies and products. Vantage Outsourcing is recognized for saving healthcare organizations more than $93 million in capital and supply costs to date. Ms Deters draws from her experience operating an ASC in Missouri and consulting with hospitals and ASCs across the United States to further Vantage's mission of reducing healthcare costs and increasing healthcare quality. Ms. Deters has been recognized in healthcare publications as a leader in the industry. She also has earned a prestigious entrepreneur award, INC 500's "Fastest Growing Small Business of the Year," and was featured in an INC Magazine article. Today, Ms. Deters has positioned Vantage Outsourcing, a certified woman-owned business, to be a leading cataract outsourcing partner in the future of healthcare reform.
Vito Quatela, MD (Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies). Dr. Quatela co-founded AHS and serves as CEO. He developed and owns two ASCs in Rochester, N.Y., and founded HUGS, a non-profit organization that does medical mission trips into third-world countries. He is a board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
Luke Lambert (Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America). Mr. Lambert has served as CEO of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America since 2002, after having served as CFO for five years. His background includes experience in financing, strategy and operations. He previously worked for Smith Barney in international sell-side equity research and at Booz, Allen & Hamilton and Ernst & Young in venture exploration and reengineering business processes. Mr. Lambert earned his MBA from Columbia University in New York City and was among the first to earn the CASC designation in 2002. ASCOA currently operates 37 facilities across the country and continues to look for new partnership opportunities.
Christopher A. Holden (AmSurg). Mr. Holden has been AmSurg's president, CEO and director since Oct. 2007. The company specializes in managing and developing 3,000-4,000-square-feet single-specialty centers. During his time with AmSurg, the company's growth has accelerated through acquisitions. He has more than 21 years of experience, primarily with multi-facility and multi-market healthcare management. He previously served as senior vice president and a division president of Triad Hospitals, where he was a founding team member and officer. Mr. Holden also held several officer positions with Nashville, Tenn.-based Columbia/HCA Healthcare.
Jared Leger (Arise Healthcare). Mr. Leger is a co-founder and managing partner of Arise Healthcare. The company currently owns and operates various healthcare-related businesses with a focus on ASCs. His background as a registered nurse coupled with his healthcare business background has allowed him to grow Arise Healthcare at an accelerated pace. His past experience includes healthcare finance, mergers and acquisitions, development and operations. He has also syndicated and operated several physician-owned surgery centers. In addition to leading Arise, Mr. Leger owns a real estate investment company based out of Austin, Texas.
Jesse Chamberlain (Artisan Medical). Mr. Chamberlain is managing partner of Artisan Medical and has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, including healthcare sales, international sales and product development for Johnson & Johnson, Chiron Vision and Bausch & Lomb. He previously managed Procter & Gamble's co-op merchandising agreements compliance program in Cleveland. He earned an MBA in organizational development.
Robert O. Baratta, MD (Ascent Surgical Partners). Dr. Baratta is partner and CEO of Ascent Surgical Partners. He is an ophthalmologist who has 25 years of experience managing surgery centers. He previously served as chairman and CEO of Ascent Health Care Advisors, as well as President, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors of Ecosphere Technologies, formerly known as UltraStrip Systems. Since 1996, Dr. Baratta has been on the board of directors of FPIC Insurance Company, where he served as chairman from 1999 to 2007. He has also served as a director of First Professionals Insurance Company and president and board chairman of the Surgery Center of Stuart.
Joseph Zasa, JD (ASD Management). Mr. Zasa is the co-founder and managing partner of ASD Management (formerly Woodrum/ASD). Founded in 1986, the company is one of the oldest continually operating surgery center companies, with more than 125 surgery centers developed and managed over the last twenty-six years. ASD currently operates 29 ASCs throughout the United States. It is an operations-focused company and has had great success with ASC turnarounds and hospital/physician joint ventures, according to Mr. Zasa. In addition to his work with ASD Management, Mr. Zasa is the former president of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and currently serves on its board.
Robert Zasa (ASD Management). Mr. Zasa is a founder and managing partner of ASD Management, a national healthcare services firm that consults with physicians, physician groups, and hospitals to develop and manage ambulatory surgery businesses. Mr. Zasa is experienced in all phases of business development, marketing, expansion, structuring, and management of multi-service ambulatory care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospitals. In the early 1990s, Mr. Zasa founded and served as president and CEO of Premier Ambulatory Systems, a firm that acquired, developed, owned and operated ambulatory surgery centers across the U.S. Previously, Mr. Zasa was managing general partner of a national ambulatory care consulting firm and was involved in the founding and public offering of the AlternaCare Corporation.
Tim Bogardus (Ambulatory Surgery Division, Community Health Systems). Mr. Bogardus is the director of ambulatory surgery centers for Community Health Systems. He previously served as group vice president for Nueterra Healthcare where he was responsible for the operations of seven ASCs and surgical hospitals. He was also vice president of operations for a start-up ASC company and administrator for two de novo ASCs.
Gregary W. Beasley (Ambulatory Surgery Division, Hospital Corporation of America). Mr. Beasley serves as President of HCA's Ambulatory Surgery Division. He was previously COO of the ambulatory surgery division, in charge of daily operations. Prior to joining HCA, Mr. Beasley spent nearly four years at HealthSouth Medical Center as controller and chief operating officer. He has also worked for the VHA for three years and Ernst and Young for two years. Mr. Beasley attended Texas Tech University where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in accounting in 1986 and became a certified public accountant in 1989.
Jeff Leland (Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners). Mr. Leland is CEO of Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners. The company has developed and manages 16 surgery centers, many of them focused on spine surgery. He previously served as executive director of Lutheran General Medical Group, a 260-physician, multi-specialty medical group in Chicago. In the past he served as a senior-level executive with Advocate Health Care in Chicago. He was also president of HealthSpring Medical Group and CEO of Western Ohio Health Care, an HMO with more than 250,000 members that was acquired by United HealthCare. Mr. Leland is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School in Boston.
Barry D. Smith (Cirrus Health). As CEO, Mr. Smith is responsible for overseeing the management and overall success of the Cirrus Health organization. Prior to joining Cirrus, Mr. Smith served for more than 20 years with the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, Texas, where he was senior vice president of finance for HealthTexas Provider Network, a 501(a) corporation wholly owned by Baylor Health Care System. As CFO for HealthTexas, Mr. Smith was responsible for financial and management reporting, accounting, billing and collection and budgeting and long range financial planning. As vice president of finance, Mr. Smith was primarily responsible for the planning, establishment and financial development of the initial investment of approximately $25 million to establish HealthTexas, which included the acquisition of physician practices. Mr. Smith received both his master's degree in accountancy and his bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Texas at Arlington. Mr. Smith is a certified public accountant and a member of the Texas Society of CPAs. He is also a part of the VHA 501(a) group as well as an instructor in advancing best care at Baylor.
Daniel S. D'Amico (Clarity Development). Mr. D'Amico serves as CEO of the Clarity Development and Clarity Realty. His healthcare experience includes being vice president of development and operations for multiple hospital companies and developing, syndicating, financing, building, staffing, equipping, opening and serving as the CEO of numerous health care facilities. Mr. D'Amico is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and has an MBA from Golden Gate University, Monterey, Calif.
Ronald A. Duperroir (Clarity Development). Mr. Duperroir serves as CEO of Clarity Health and Clarity Government Services. He brings 24 years of operations experience with an extensive background in resource loading, resource leveling, scope preparation, client relationships, cost avoidance, continuous design improvement and conducting executive status meetings and client reviews. His education includes a bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Oregon and a master's degree in healthcare administration from Baylor University.
Ravi Chopra (The C/N Group). Mr. Chopra serves as president and CEO of The C/N Group. In his current position, the company has completed healthcare-related projects totaling more than $75 million in capital expenditures. The company and its affiliated entities comprise an annual revenue base in excess of $20 million. Prior to founding The C/N Group in 1980, he served in various executive management positions in the steel industry, including chief industrial engineer for Youngstown Steel (now International Steel Group) and director of engineering services for Wisconsin Steel (now Envirodyne Industries). He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India, a master's degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Kris Mineau (Constitution Surgery Centers). Mr. Mineau co-founded CSC in 1997 and serves as its president and CEO. He has led the company's growth for the past 15 years, partnering with over 200 physicians to build surgery centers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prior to founding CSC, Mr. Mineau was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and received a Bachelor's degree in management from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He is involved in many professional organizations, including the Connecticut Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, for which he served as founding president.
Richard K. Jacques (Covenant Surgical Partners). Mr. Jacques, president and CEO of Covenant Surgical Partners, has more than 18 years of experience in the ASC industry, including senior management positions with both public and private healthcare companies. He was previously president and director of Surgical Health Group and vice president of business development for AmSurg, where he helped develop a system and methodology the company used to acquire or develop almost 100 ASCs during his time there.
Terry Weisman (Denovo Development). Mr. Weisman serves as president of Denovo Development, which focuses on ground-up development of surgical centers including physicians LLC formation, real estate investment and development, operations and management. He began his career in the workers' compensation industry, developing urgent care, physical therapy and industrial medicine facilities in partnership with physicians. After 11 years in that business, he was hired by Andrew Brooks of California-based company Specialty Surgical Center in order to grow the business. After the company was sold to Symbion, he started De Novo Development, where he currently develops new surgery centers, locates surgery center for physicians seeking a facility and consults with existing facilities to improve efficiencies and profits. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Drury University.
Lori Ramirez (Elite Surgical Affiliates). Ms. Ramirez founded Elite Surgical Affiliates in 2008 and now leads as its president and CEO. Elite provides management and development for surgical facilities, with a special emphasis on orthopedics, spine and pain. With many surgical facilities operational in Texas and many others in the development phase, Elite is off to a "remarkable start," she says. Before founding Elite Surgical Affiliates, Ms. Ramirez was a senior vice president at United Surgical Partners International. In this role, she gained extensive experience in creating joint ventures, including one between Memorial Hermann in Houston and CHRISTUS Health System in South Texas. She also was directly responsible for developing the second-largest network of surgical facilities for USPI in Houston and supervised more than 600 employees. Ms. Ramirez oversaw more than 20 surgical facilities, including two surgical hospitals (one of which included an imaging center and three breast imaging centers).
J.A. Ziskind (Global Surgical Partners). Mr. Ziskind, founder, president and CEO of Global Surgical Partners, has been involved in Florida's healthcare industry since the 1970s, including serving as CEO of Miami's Cedars Medical Center. He has also served as a healthcare attorney and helped develop and manage several physician-hospital joint venture ASCs. Mr. Ziskind co-founded and was general counsel to the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgical Centers, served on the Pan American hospital board of directors and has served as general counsel to the Dade County Medical Association for more than two decades. He currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for Mercy Foundation.
Edward P. Hetrick (Facility Development & Management). Mr. Hetrick, the founder and president of Facility Development & Management, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, with over 20 years of ASC experience. He has held key administrative positions in major teaching hospitals, national consulting firms and practice management companies. Mr. Hetrick and FDM have developed over 50 surgery centers nationally and managed numerous centers on an ongoing basis. Mr. Hetrick earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point (N.Y.) and dual Masters' degrees Business and Public Health from Columbia University in New York City.
Thomas A. Michaud (Foundation Surgery Affiliates). After graduating from Boston College with a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Mr. Michaud earned his CPA certificate while serving as a staff accountant with the international accounting firm, Ernst & Young. Prior to founding Foundation Surgery Affiliates in January 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 partners, developing new geographic and product markets for the company, along with medium and long term corporate planning and strategy.
Cecilia Kronawitter (HDA Enterprises). Ms. Kronawitter serves as president of HDA Enterprises. She began her career as a facility planner and rose to department head of a well-known architectural firm, specializing in healthcare. From there, Ms. Kronawitter decided to open her own firm, where she has personally directed the development of more than 200 facilities worldwide. In 2007, Ms. Kronawitter opened a sister company to HDA Enterprises, where she collaborated with innovative management professionals and formed HDA International Management, a corporation offering a full range of healthcare management consulting services.
Chuck Peck, MD (Health Inventures). Dr. Peck, an internist and rheumatologist, serves as president and CEO of Health Inventures. The company currently manages approximately 30 ASCs and surgical hospitals and 11 sleep centers around the country. He has more than 30 years of healthcare experience as a clinician, educator and leader. Dr. Peck began his career at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve Medical School. Since then, he has held many positions in the healthcare industry, including CEO of a physician group multi-specialty practice, partner with a global healthcare consulting firm, president of several regions of a national health insurance company, CMO of a retail health clinic operator and CMO/COO of a disease management company, which he helped turn around. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a board member of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
Bill Simon (Innovative Healthcare Management). Mr. Simon is president and founder of Innovative Healthcare, a company that provides development and management services for outpatient surgery and endoscopy centers throughout southern California. IHM has developed five centers and consults with and manages an additional two centers. Mr. Simon's responsibilities include facility development and design, physician recruitment, equipment planning and negotiation and facility leadership and management. Before founding IHM in 1995, Mr. Simon developed the Pain & Rehabilitation Medical Group, a 7,000-square-foot outpatient facility in Los Angeles. He holds a bachelor's in finance and a JD, and is currently a member of the State Bar of California.
Jeff Sapp (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Mr. Sapp serves as principal of Innovative Surgical Solutions Management along with Nancy Kastner. He has 21 years of healthcare management experience. Prior to joining ISSM, he served as vice president of development for USPI, the largest owner and operator of surgery centers nationwide. He was also the co-founder and executive vice president of ASC operations for Surgis, which was formed in 2001 with the industry's largest contribution ($100 million) from a private equity firm. The company was sold to UPSI for $200 million in 2005. Prior to founding Surgis, Mr. Sapp co-founded and served as senior vice president of development for Surgical Synergies, an ASC company. He has also served as the administrator of Same Day Surgicenter of Orlando.
Nancy Kastner (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Along with Jeff Sapp, Nancy Kastner serves as principal for Innovative Surgical Solutions Management, a company that raises funding for new surgery centers and guides them through the development process. Ms. Kastner has expertise in increasing profitability for surgery centers, medical practices and hospitals and conducting a compressive analysis of internal operations. She has conducted a physician buy-out of a financially challenged ASC, taking the surgery center from unprofitable to profitable and 90 percent physician owned within six months. She has also performed conversions of accredited surgery centers to accredited hospital outpatient departments and has successfully appealed numerous Medicare decisions. Ms. Kastner holds a Master's degree in commercial lending from the University of Virginia.
Stephen Rosenbaum (Interventional Management Services). Mr. Rosenbaum is co-founder and CEO of IMS. During more than 20 years of healthcare-related experience, Mr. Rosenbaum has served as vice president of finance for development at MedCath and helped develop Carolinas Surgery Center. In addition, Mr. Rosenbaum created an independent healthcare consulting company, SourceRevenue, where he was involved in the development of a neurosurgical hospital and a physician-owned hospital. He also worked with The Bloom Organization to provide investment banking services to physician-owned ASCs, during which time he was involved in more than $100 million of ASC transactions. In 2008, Rosenbaum joined The Interventional Spine and Pain Management Center and created IMS with Dr. Robin Fowler. As CEO of IMS, Rosenbaum is responsible for the day-to-day operations of ten healthcare companies and over $35 million in annual revenues.
Bill Horne (Laser Spine Institute, Tampa, Fla.). Mr. Horne is CEO of Laser Spine Institute. LSI's flagship facility is in Tampa, Fla., and LSI has grown to include four surgical facilities. Mr. Horne underwent a minimally invasive spine procedure performed by Dr. St. Louis, which triggered his interest in minimally invasive spine care. Before joining LSI, Mr. Horne founded Club Operations and Property Management, a leading management company for country, city and yacht clubs.
John R. Seitz (ManageMyASC). Mr. Seitz is President and CEO of ManageMyASC (www.managemyasc.com), a real-time, interactive management tool that provides an unprecedented view into the financial and operational performance of a surgical center with tracking, benchmarking, analysis and recommendations. He has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, including founding and leading start-up companies. Prior to joining ASG, Mr. Seitz served as founder and CEO of Cornerstone Physicians, a medical practice management company. Mr. Seitz is a graduate of Boston's Harvard Business School Owners and Presidents Management program.
David F. "Buddy" Bacon, Jr. (Meridian Surgical Partners). Mr. Bacon is a founder and the CEO of Meridian Surgical Partners and has more than 22 years of experience in the healthcare sector. He served as CFO of Medifax-EDI, a Nashville, Tenn.-based healthcare IT company, for five years and as CEO for two. Prior to Medifax-EDI, Mr. Bacon worked in public accounting with Lattimore, Black, Morgan & Cain. He graduated from David Lipscomb College in Nashville with a BS in accounting and is a CPA.
William B. Rabourn, Jr. (Medical Consulting Group). Mr. Rabourn is CEO and a managing principal of MCG, a consulting firm that provides ASCs with financial, IT and marketing services, among others. Mr. Rabourn, founder of MCG, was previously a business instructor at Missouri State University in Springfield and CMO and vice president of a major financial institution. He also co-founded Vein and Laser Centers. Mr. Rabourn is a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
Donald Schellpfeffer, MD (Medical Facilities Corp.). Dr. Schellpfeffer is the CEO of Medical Facilities Corporation and Sioux Falls (S.D.) Specialty Hospital. As an original founder of Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital, Dr. Schellpfeffer has been its CEO and a member of the management committee since the facility's inception in 1985. He has more than 30 years of experience in ambulatory surgical environments and in general, cardiovascular and trauma practices and has also authored numerous medical publications. Dr. Schellpfeffer received a bachelor's degree from the University of
Wisconsin; a master's degree and a bachelor of science degree from the College of Veterinary and Medicine; a Ph.D. in animal physiology from the University of Minnesota; and an M.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. He completed his residency in anesthesiology in Wisconsin.
David M. Thoene (Medical Surgical Partners). CEO David M. Thoene founded Medical Surgical Partners and has 27 years of experience in ASC consulting and development. He has served as vice president of development for FSC Health and Titan Health, and founded the development arm of Randlett Associates. Mr. Thoene helped develop the two models for locally-owned and managed ASCs.
Matt Searles (Merritt Healthcare). Mr. Searles has been a partner with Merritt Healthcare for more than 10 years. During that time, he has managed, developed and advised for dozens of healthcare facilities across the country. Mr. Searles is also a registered investment banking agent holding Series 79 and Series 63 licenses. In 2011, Merritt completed $50 million in ASC transactions and expects to complete $85 million in transactions in 2012 as a buy or sell side advisor to hospitals and ASC clients. His background includes experience in corporate finance and venture capital-backed companies. He earned his MBA from Duke University in Durham, N.C.
Amy Mowles (Mowles Medical Management). Ms. Mowles is president and CEO of Mowles Medical Management. She has guided numerous new ventures and established ASCs and physician practices through regulations, licensing, certification and accreditation processes. In 1996, Ms. Mowles became involved with pain management specialists. Recognizing the need for public awareness and education of interventional pain management procedures, she assisted physicians in establishing the Mid-Atlantic Pain Society. Ms. Mowles' experience with CMS policy analysts and ASC and pain management societies cemented her reputation as a leading expert in pain management practices and ASC development.
Robert Murphy (Murphy Healthcare). Mr. Murphy is founder and CEO of Murphy Healthcare and has been involved in the turnaround of more than 30 ASCs with a total market capitalization of more than $650 million. The turnarounds were overseen by Murphy Healthcare's ASC Turnaround Group. In his role as CEO, he focuses on strategic planning for each center as well as mergers and acquisitions. He is on the board of trustees of Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. He received a master's degree in health administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Bob Scheller (Nikitis Resource Group). Mr. Scheller is CEO and COO of NRG. He previously served as senior vice president of Aspen Healthcare. Before becoming involved in the ASC industry, he worked in public accounting and later hospital administration and physician practice consulting. He earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
David Ayers (Nueterra Healthcare). Mr. Ayers, CEO of Nueterra Healthcare, offers 30 years of experience developing, building and managing hospitals in addition to leading the development of a number of ambulatory surgery, imaging, physical therapy and urgent care centers. Mr. Ayers continues to expand his considerable experience working with physicians and health systems to develop domestic and international partnerships through Nueterra Healthcare's global growth strategy. He also serves on the board of directors of Physicians Hospitals of America and the government affairs committee for ASCA.
James H. Cobb (Orion Medical Services). Mr. Cobb is founder, president and CEO of Orion Medical Services. He has more than 38 years of experience in management and has focused the past 25 years in the medical field. He has developed, constructed and managed seven high-volume ASCs in the last 12 years. He previously served as CEO for the Pacific Cataract Laser Institute and Pacific Eye Center and is a member of the Medical Group Management Association and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators.
Chris McMenemy (Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services). Ms. McMenemy is president and CEO of Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services. She recently took on this role after the retirement in June of 2011 of longtime ASC consultant, Fred W. Ortmann, III, a founding member of AmSurg and founder of Ortmann Healthcare Consultants. Ms. McMenemy has worked with the company since its opening in 2001, specializing in financial feasibility studies, regulatory issues and implementation of IT systems. Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services is continuing the vision of Mr. Ortmann by continuing to develop denovo projects as well as the management of existing ASCs, accreditation assistance, plan of correction assistance, managed care consulting and ASC billing. Ms. McMenemy received her MS from the University of Kansas and is currently on the Medical Advisory Board for Orbis International, whose mission is saving sight worldwide.
Barry Tanner, CPA (Physicians Endoscopy). Mr. Tanner has been president and CEO of Physicians Endoscopy since 1999 and co-authored the company's business plan together with CFO Karen Sablyak. The company currently owns and manages 23 endoscopy centers in partnership with physicians and hospitals. Before joining PE, Mr. Tanner held various senior executive positions in healthcare for over 20 years, working both on the provider side and in financial services.
Richard L. DeHart (Pinnacle III). Mr. DeHart is co-founder and CEO of Pinnacle III. He has more than 18 years of experience in outpatient healthcare. Mr. DeHart provides Pinnacle III's clients with expertise in strategic planning, development and management of surgery centers, diagnostic imaging and physical rehabilitation services. Prior to Pinnacle III's creation, he oversaw the management of 14 surgery centers in five states for one of the nation's largest publicly traded surgery center companies. He also provided operational services for several outpatient rehabilitation facilities. He graduated from California State University at Chico.
Larry D. Taylor (Practice Partners in Healthcare). Mr. Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare delivery, management and physician relations. Prior to founding Practice Partners in HealthCare, he served as president and COO of the largest provider of ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S. His initial entry into healthcare was focused in the delivery of sports medicine and orthopedic care. As a clinician, he experienced the processes, challenges and expectations healthcare workers face, and his commitments to clinical outcomes and patient care and to those who deliver them remain a focus throughout his career. Since founding Practice Partners, the team has developed and opened multiple surgery centers and has a pipeline of centers under development and construction. The founder also has a background in education and currently serves as an adjunct professor in healthcare at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and participates as a board member for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Foundation. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and a nationally certified athletic trainer.
Thomas Mallon (Regent Surgical Health). Mr. Mallon co-founded Regent Surgical Health in 2001 and serves as CEO. Over the past 11 years, the surgery center management and development company has grown to include 24 facilities in the US and Europe. Seventeen of those partnerships are hospital/physician joint ventures. The leadership team is committed to structuring sustainable partnerships that align the interests of all parties, and positioning its centers to meet the constantly changing market conditions. With significant experience in venture capital funds, turnarounds and physician recruitment, Mr. Mallon offers each facility his expertise on all aspects of clinical and financial operations. He earned a bachelor's from Denison University and his MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Todd Borst (Smithfield Surgical Partners). Mr. Borst is CEO of Smithfield Surgical Partners and manages the company along with principals Gregory Horner, MD, and Steve Mohebi. Smithfield collaborates with physician partners to create and manage medical office buildings, surgical facilities and medical malls. The company maintains minority ownership of its surgical facilities when construction is complete.
Kenneth R. Ross (Solara Surgical Partners). Mr. Ross is CEO of Solara Surgical Partners and has more than 30 years of management experience in healthcare, energy and finance, including 17 years in operations management, finance, strategy and business development in several healthcare industries. He previously founded and developed Solara Healthcare, where he helped develop seven long-term acute care hospitals. Mr. Ross is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a member of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Adjunct Faculty and a CPA.
Jeremy Hogue (Sovereign Healthcare). Mr. Hogue is co-founder, president and CEO of Sovereign Healthcare, which operates surgery centers in California and Arizona, as well as provides management services for physician group practices.. He previously served as vice president of Audax Group, a private equity investment firm where he launched and ran the firm's West Coast office. He was also an associate in the investment banking group of Lehman Brothers. Mr. Hogue received his JD from Harvard Law School in Boston and his MBA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Brian Massoud, MD (Spine Centers of America). Dr. Massoud is founder and head surgeon at Spine Centers of America in Fair Lawn, N.J. He received training at Texas Back Institute in Plano, and has performed more than 1,000 endoscopic spine surgeries, including endoscopic cervical spine surgery. He also trains spine surgeons in endoscopic procedures, and articles he has authored on the subject are published in professional journals. Along with his clinical practice, Dr. Massoud is an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Seton Hall University's School of Health and Medical Sciences in South Orange, N.J. He earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J., completed his orthopedic surgery residency at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.
Gregory George, MD and Sean O'Neal (SurgCenter Development). Dr. George and Sean O'Neal are founding principals and CEOs of SurgCenter Development. Dr. George, an ophthalmologist, received his medical degree and PhD in ocular physiology from Duke University in Durham, N.C. Mr. O'Neal, who has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare management, completed postgraduate studies in health services administration at California State University, Northridge. Under Dr. George and Mr. O'Neal's leadership, SurgCenter Development has developed over 100 physician-owned ASCs.
John H. Hajjar, MD (Surgem). Dr. Hajjar studied medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. where he graduated in 1981. He completed his surgical and urological training at New York University Medical Center in Manhattan. After spending some time researching the genetic aspects of kidney cancer, Dr. Hajjar decided to focus his energies on clinical urology and patient care. Since 1987, Dr. Hajjar has been practicing urology in northern New Jersey, where he has developed a reputation as a skilled urologic surgeon and is currently the CEO of a large multi-specialty practice called Sovereign Medical Group. In 1992, he pioneered the first ambulatory surgery center in Bergen County. In 1999 he received his MBA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, with specialization in office-based ASCs. In 2005, he founded Surgem, a development and management company that has equity and manages 12 surgical centers, with another seven in the construction and development phase. He holds appointments and actively practices urology at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., and St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, N.J.
George Tinawi, MD (Surgery Center Partners). Dr. Tinawi co-founded Surgery Center Partners and its management subsidiary SCP Management with Samuel Marcus, MD, five years after they created a free-standing surgery center for their own practice. Dr. Tinawi was a practicing physician in Mountain View, Calif. He is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. He graduated from the Medical School of University of Aleppo in Syria.
Scott Leggett (Surgery One). Mr. Leggett is CEO of Surgery One and has more than 17 years of experience in orthopedics. He has served in a development and regional management role for U.S. Orthopedics, which was acquired by National Surgical Hospitals in 2001. Mr. Leggett previously developed and managed the OrthoMed Spine & Joint Conditioning and WellStrong Centers for the orthopedic department of the University of California, San Diego. He was president of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association from 2006 to 2007 and now serves on the board. He earned a master's degree in exercise science from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Michael Doyle (Surgery Partners). Mr. Doyle is CEO of Surgery Partners, where he is responsible for overseeing the firm's day-to-day operation and continued growth. He has experience developing and managing hospitals, surgical centers, rehabilitation facilities and imaging centers. Throughout his career, Mr. Doyle has been a hands-on manager with a wealth of healthcare knowledge, and he applies his practical experience of managing and developing healthcare services to his current position. In 2012 he led the Surgery Partners team in the successful acquisition and integration of Novamed. Mr. Doyle earned a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and an MBA from Troy (Ala.) State University.
Andrew Hayek (Surgical Care Affiliates). Mr. Hayek serves as president and CEO of Surgical Care Affiliates and is a member of the SCA board of directors. SCA operates 145 surgical facilities in partnership with more than 2,000 physicians and 30 health systems. Prior to SCA, Mr. Hayek served as president of a division of DaVita Inc., a renal dialysis provider, and as president and COO of Alliance Healthcare Services Inc., a diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy provider. Mr. Hayek also worked at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm, and the Boston Consulting Group, a strategy consulting firm, prior to joining SCA. He currently serves on the board of directors of Senior Home Care, a home healthcare company, and the board of advisors of Sg2, a healthcare consulting company. Andrew earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University.
G. Edward Alexander (Surgical Development Partners). Mr. Alexander is president and CEO of SDP. His experience in healthcare management includes serving as CFO of TeamHealth, founder and CFO of OrthoLink Physicians, founding president and CEO of Surgical Alliance and vice president of finance and treasurer of Medaphis. He has also served as vice president of finance and controller of Realty Development and CPA at Deloitte and Touche. He earned his degree from Emory University in Atlanta.
Rodney H. Lunn (Surgical Health Group/PhyBus). Mr. Lunn serves as the CEO of PhyBus, LLC and Surgical Health Group and is considered by many as the original pioneer of the contemporary ambulatory surgery center concept, having transformed the traditional ASC into a practical, successful business model. During his 25-year career in the ASC industry, he has developed over 150 ASCs throughout the United States. Mr. Lunn has also served in numerous chief management roles for various healthcare companies. His experience also includes founder, director, and senior vice president of AmSurg, vice president of finance and CFO of American Medical Centers, CFO of INA (now Cigna) Healthplan of Texas, and vice president of HealthAmerica in Florida.
Blake Curd, MD (Surgical Management Professionals). Dr. Curd is chairman of the board of directors for Surgical Management Professionals. He completed his fellowship training at the Indiana Hand Center, the largest freestanding center dedicated to hand and upper extremity care, research and education. Dr. Curd completed his medical education at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine, internship at David Grant United States Air Force Medical Center and a residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center. Dr. Curd is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker on topics covering hand and upper extremity surgery. He has given lectures and performed surgery on five continents. Dr. Curd is an active proponent of physician ownership in healthcare. He is frequently interviewed and asked for comments for various media at the local, regional and national level. Dr. Curd serves as a director for Physician Hospitals of America and is a manager for Medical Facilities Corporation USA.
J. Michael Ribaudo, MD (Surgical Synergies). Dr. Ribaudo is chairman and CEO of Surgical Synergies. He has more than 27 years of experience as a surgeon, healthcare executive and real estate developer. He previously served as executive vice president of Surgical Health and HealthSouth Surgery Centers. He currently serves on the board of directors of Flow International and chairs its compensation committee. He is also co-founder of Surgical Anesthesia Services. Dr. Ribaudo had graduate medical school training at Emory University in Atlanta, Washington University in St. Louis and New York University in New York City.
Richard E. Francis, Jr. (Symbion Healthcare). Mr. Francis serves as chairman and CEO of Symbion, positions he has held since 2002 and 1999, respectively. Under his leadership, Symbion became a publicly held company and an ASC chain with nearly 100 successful surgery centers. He previously served as president and CEO of UniPhy, which formed Symbion with Ambulatory Resource Centres in 1999. He has also served as senior vice president of development and regional vice president of HealthTrust. During his time with HealthTrust, he was responsible for operations of 11 hospitals in five states.
Kyle Burtnett (Tenet Healthcare). Mr. Burtnett serves as vice president of outpatient services for Tenet Healthcare. He joined Tenet in 2003 as an associate in its leadership development program and has filled several roles since then, including key work on quality and growth initiatives, before being named chief of staff to the CEO and, later, a vice president. Mr. Burtnett is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a former air force officer. He earned his MBA from the University of Southern California.
Krystal Mims (Texas Health Partners). Ms. Mims is president of Texas Health Partners. She serves on the executive team of Texas Health Resources and oversees the management and coordination of care for five of Texas Health's most successful joint ventures. Since joining Texas Health Partners in 2004, Ms. Mims participated in the development of each of these projects and oversaw the operations from groundbreaking to successful operations. Ms. Mims is an advocate for physician leadership within the healthcare organization and works closely with physician and clinical leaders in her role as president.
Tom Yerden (TRY Health Care Solutions). Mr. Yerden serves as CEO of TRY Health Care Solutions. During his more than 31 years of experience in the ASC industry, Mr. Yerden has worked with group practices and healthcare systems. He previously founded Aspen Healthcare and helped plan, develop, open and manage more than 75 surgery centers. Prior to forming Aspen Healthcare, Mr. Yerden held COO and other executive positions in several healthcare systems and large physician group practices where he developed outpatient surgery centers and new outpatient surgical delivery systems. Mr. Yerden has authored several publications on ASC issues and is a national speaker on those topics.
William Wilcox (United Surgical Partners International). Mr. Wilcox has served as CEO of USPI since April 2004. The company currently owns and operates outpatient surgical facilities across the U.S. and United Kingdom. More than half of the facilities in the U.S. are jointly owned facilities with non-profit healthcare systems and hospitals. Prior to joining USPI in 1998, Mr. Wilcox served as CEO of United Dental Care, president of the Surgery Group of HCA, president and CEO of the ambulatory surgery division of HCA and president, COO and director of Medical Care International.
Ann Deters (Vantage Outsourcing). Ms. Deters is CEO of Vantage Outsourcing, a cataract outsourcing service serving hospital and surgery center clients throughout the country. Vantage provides clients with ophthalmic equipment, trained ophthalmic surgical coordinator technicians, intraocular lens and other cataract surgery supplies and products. Vantage Outsourcing is recognized for saving healthcare organizations more than $93 million in capital and supply costs to date. Ms Deters draws from her experience operating an ASC in Missouri and consulting with hospitals and ASCs across the United States to further Vantage's mission of reducing healthcare costs and increasing healthcare quality. Ms. Deters has been recognized in healthcare publications as a leader in the industry. She also has earned a prestigious entrepreneur award, INC 500's "Fastest Growing Small Business of the Year," and was featured in an INC Magazine article. Today, Ms. Deters has positioned Vantage Outsourcing, a certified woman-owned business, to be a leading cataract outsourcing partner in the future of healthcare reform.