Here are profiles of 56 notable ambulatory surgery center management and development company CEOs who were selected through research and reviewed by our editorial staff. CEOs are listed alphabetically by last name.
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.
David Ayers (Nueterra Healthcare). Mr. Ayers is CEO of Nueterra Healthcare and has 30 years of experience developing, building and managing hospitals as well as ambulatory surgery, imaging, physical therapy and urgent care centers. He also has experience working with physicians and health systems to develop partnerships. Mr. Ayers is on the board of directors of Physicians Hospitals of America. He earned a degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
David "Buddy" F. 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.
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, LLC 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 1999-2007. He has also served as a director of First Professionals Insurance Company and president and board chairman of Stuart Eye Institute.
Richard M. Bracken (Hospital Corporation of America). Mr. Bracken serves as chairman and CEO of HCA. In 1981 he joined HCA, where he has held many executive positions, including COO and president. He has also served as CEO of the Green Hospital of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in San Diego and CEO of Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. He has served on the boards of the California Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals and United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. He is also a member of several professional organizations and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Jesse Chamberlain (Artisan Medical). Mr. Chamberlain is managing partner of Artisan Medical and has over 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.
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 BS in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India, an MS in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
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.
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. In the past he oversaw the management of 14 surgery centers and provided operational services for several outpatient rehabilitation facilities. He graduated from California State University at Chico.
Michael Doyle (Surgery Partners). Mr. Doyle is CEO of Surgery Partners. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the firm's day-to-day operation and expansion through partnerships. He has experience developing and managing hospitals, surgical centers and imaging centers. Throughout his career, Mr. Doyle has been a hands-on manager and he applies his practical experience of managing and developing healthcare services to his current position. He spent 10 years in a large corporate healthcare organization, where he became senior vice president of operations. Mr. Doyle earned a Bachelor's in physiotherapy from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and an MBA from Troy (Ala.) State University.
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.
Gregory George, MD, PhD, Sean O'Neil (SurgCenter Development). Dr. George and Mr. O'Neil are founding principals and CEOs of SurgCenter Development. Dr. George, a practicing ophthalmologist, received his medical degree and PhD in ocular physiology from Duke University in Durham, N.C. Mr. O'Neil, who has over 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'Neil's leadership, SurgCenter Development has developed over 60 physician-owned ASCs.
John H. Hajjar, MD, FACS, MBA (Surgem). Dr. Hajjar, CEO of Surgem, is a urologist who developed one of the first ASCs in New Jersey at Fair Lawn and has been managing facilities since 1992. Dr. Hajjar also operates one of the largest private urology practices in the United States, with 17 physicians in 11 locations. He also participates in and performs surgery at two of Surgem's locations.
Andrew Hayek (Surgical Care Affiliates). Mr. Hayek serves as president, CEO and a member of the board of directors of SCA. Since the beginning of 2011, the company has been part of three different partnerships between healthcare providers. The company is affiliated with 18 healthcare providers from across the country. Prior to SCA, he served as president of a division of DaVita, a renal dialysis company, and as president and CEO of Alliance Healthcare Services. Mr. Hayek previously worked for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a global private equity firm, and the Boston Consulting Group. He serves on the board of directors of Senior Home Care. Mr. Hayek earned a BA from Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Edward P. Hetrick (Facility Development & Management). Mr. Hetrick is the founder and president of Facility Development & Management, and has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. His previous positions include vice president at Healthcare Facilities Management, director of operations management at a major teaching institution, operating room administrator and consultant within the healthcare division of an accounting firm. He also has experience with planning and implementing manual and automated systems. Mr. Hetrick earned a BS from the United States Military Academy at West Point (N.Y.) and an MBA and MPH from Columbia University in New York City.
Jeremy Hogue (Sovereign Healthcare). Mr. Hogue is co-founder, president and CEO of Sovereign Healthcare. 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.
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.
Richard K. Jacques (Covenant Surgical Partners). Mr. Jacques, president and CEO of Covenant Surgical Partners, has over 15 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.
Marc Jang (Titan Health). Mr. Jang, founder, president and CEO of Titan, has held executive positions in healthcare for almost 20 years. He has focused specifically on ASCs for the past 10 years. He has experience in finance; mergers and acquisitions; and development and operations. Mr. Jang previously served as vice president of finance for Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Surgery Centers and regional vice president for ASC Network.
Luke Lambert, MBA, CFA, CASC (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 New York City's Columbia Graduate School of Business and was among the first to earn the CASC designation in 2002. ASCOA currently operates 34 facilities across the country and continues to look for new partnership opportunities.
Jared Leger (Arise Healthcare). Mr. Leger is managing partner and CEO of Arise. He began his career as an RN in the operating room, but has spent most of his time in healthcare business. He previously served as a partner in a privately held healthcare management company, and has experience in the medical-device industry, ASC development and ASC transactions. He has also syndicated and operated several physician-owned surgery centers. In addition to leading Arise, Mr. Leger currently owns a real estate investment company. He is CASC certified.
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 2006-2007 and now serves on the board. He earned an MS in exercise science from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Jeff Leland (Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners). Mr. Leland is CEO of Blue Chip. The company currently works with 12 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, responsible for both business development and Advocate's 225,000-member health plan. He was also president of HealthSpring Medical Group and CEO of Western Ohio Health Care, an HMO with more than 200,000 members that was acquired by United HealthCare. Mr. Leland is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School in Boston.
Michael Lipomi (Surgical Management Professionals). Mr. Lipomi serves as president and CEO of SMP and has over 30 years of experience in hospital and ambulatory surgery facility management. Surgical Management Professionals offers both ownership and non-ownership management services for providers. The company currently works with 11 healthcare providers across the country and in Canada. His first position was with American Medical International at El Cajon Valley Hospital in San Diego. Later in his career he served as CEO of Stanislaus Surgical Hospital in Modesto, Calif. Prior to his current role he was president of RMC MedStone, where he owned and managed several surgery centers and a surgical hospital.
Rodney H. Lunn (Surgical Health Group). Mr. Lunn is principal of Surgical Health Group and has extensive background in ASC development. Practice Development Associates, which he founded in 1987, was one of the first companies to focus on surgery center development. Over the past 17 years, Mr. Lunn has developed more than 150 ASCs throughout the United States. He was a founder, director and the senior vice president of AmSurg, controller for MEDINC, vice president of finance and CFO of American Medical Centers and owner and manager of acute care hospitals. He also has experience in the HMO industry, in which he served as CFO of INA (now Cigna) Healthplan of Texas and vice president of HealthAmerica of Florida.
Thomas Mallon (Regent Surgical Health). Mr. Mallon co-founded Regent Surgical Health in 2001 and serves as CEO. Over the past 10 years, the company has grown to include 18 facilities nationwide, serving 45,000 patients per year and attracting 400 physician partners. The leadership team is committed to helping groups develop a new surgery center or assist in immediate improvements of an existing facility. He was previously a partner with Gryffindor Capital Partners, a Chicago-based venture-capital fund, and at Same Day Surgery, which acquired five distressed and underutilized ASCs and a physician management company. Prior to joining Same Day Surgery he was vice president of leasing and marketing for JMB Realty and later for Miglin-Beitler Developments. Mr. Mallon holds an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston.
Krystal Mims (Texas Health Partners). Ms. Mims, a CPA, is president and CEO of Texas Health Partners. She previously served as CFO for Physician's Medical Center, a specialty hospital in Plano, Texas, Southlake (Texas) Specialty Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall (Texas). Her background in healthcare began in physician practice management. She was CFO for Texas Back Institute in Plano, CFO of Practice Performance and administrator of Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver in Greenwood Village, Colo., and Lone Tree, Colo.
Kris Mineau (Constitution Surgery Centers). Mr. Mineau co-founded CSC in 1997 and serves as its president and CEO. Prior to founding CSC, Mr. Mineau was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and received a Bachelor's 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, where he served as its founding president.
Steve Mohebi (Smithfield Surgical Partners). Mr. Mohebi is chief development officer of Smithfield Surgical Partners in Rocklin, Calif., and manages the company along with Chief Operating Officer Gregory Horner, MD, and CEO Todd Borst. Smithfield develops medical office buildings, surgical facilities and medical malls. Smithfield maintains minority ownership in its surgical facilities.
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 in health administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Chuck Peck, MD, FACP (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 around the country. He has over 30 years of healthcare experience as a clinician, educator and leader. He 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 multispecialty 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. Dr. Peck is also a featured author and regularly speaks in front of national audiences.
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.
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.
Lori Ramirez (Elite Surgical Affiliates). Ms. Ramirez is founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates. She has more than 12 years of experience in surgical development, operations and management. Prior to founding the company in Jan. 2008, she was a senior vice president of United Surgical Partners International, where she developed the second-largest network of surgical facilities in Houston. Ms. Ramirez was also involved in strategic planning, operations management, physician partnerships and financing in surgery centers. She has experience joint venturing with health systems such as Memorial Hermann in Houston and Irving, Texas-based CHRISTUS Health System.
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.
Stephen Rosenbaum (Interventional Management Services). Mr. Rosenbaum is co-founder and CEO of IMS. His background includes work with physicians and physician-owned facilities. In his more than 15 years of healthcare experience he has served as vice president of finance for development at MedCath and helped develop Carolinas Surgery Center. Mr. Rosenbaum also created an independent healthcare consulting company, SourceRevenue, where he was involved in the development of a neurosurgical hospital and 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.
Kenneth R. Ross (Solara Surgical Partners). Mr. Ross is CEO of Solara Surgical Partners and has over 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.
Jeff Sapp, Nancy Kastner (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Mr. Sapp and Ms. Kastner are principals of Innovative Surgical Solutions Management. With 21 years of healthcare management experience, Mr. Sapp has served as president of Physicians' Strategic Alliance; co-founder and senior vice president of development for Surgical Synergies; founder and CEO of Innovative Surgical Solutions, which later became Surgis; co-founder and executive vice president of ASC Operations for Surgis; and vice president of development for USPI. Ms. Kastner has experience with ASCs gaining AHCA approval, increasing commercial contract reimbursement, achieving turn arounds and establishing correct billing practices.
Bob Scheller, CPA, CASC (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 Master's in business from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Donald Schellpfeffer, MD (Medical Facilities Corp.). Dr. Schellpfeffer is CEO of MFC and has over 18 years of experience in ambulatory surgical environments and 22 years in general, cardiovascular and trauma practices. He has served as medical director and a member of the management committee of Sioux Falls (S.D.) Surgical Center since he founded it in 1985. He also serves as president of Anesthesia Associates, the largest anesthesia services provider in South Dakota. Dr. Schellpfeffer received a PhD in animal physiology from the University of Minnesota in St. Paul and an MD from University of South Dakota School of Medicine in Vermillion.
Matt Searles (Merritt Healthcare). Mr. Searles has been a Partner with Merritt Healthcare for more than then 10 years. During that time, he has managed and advised for dozens of healthcare facilities across the country. His background includes experience in corporate finance and venture capital-backed companies. He previously served as the senior vice president of finance for a Greenwich, Conn.-based service company where he oversaw an expansion from $10 million in revenue to more than $100 million in revenue. He earned his MBA from Duke University in Durham, N.C.
John R. Seitz (Ambulatory Surgical Group). Mr. Seitz is co-founder, chairman and CEO of ASG. He has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, including founding and leading start-up companies. Prior to joining ASG, Mr. Seitz co-founded and served as president of Surgem, where he directed the development and operation of eight ASC projects. He has also 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.
Bill Simon (Innovative Healthcare Management). Mr. Simon is president and founder of Innovative Healthcare. Before founding the company in 1995, he 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.
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 with CFO Karen Sablyak. The company currently manages 17 endoscopy centers. Before joining PE, Mr. Tanner was co-founder, CFO and COO of Miami-based Navix Radiology Systems. During that time, he helped the company grow from zero to more than $75 million in revenues. He has also served as COO of HealthInfusion, a Miami-based provider of home intravenous therapy services. Before joining the healthcare industry Mr. Tanner worked in financial services managing financial and operational turnarounds of publicly-traded companies. He co-founded the financial services company Scientific Leasing, which he operated for more than 10 years.
Larry D. Taylor (Practice Partners in Healthcare). Mr. Taylor is founder, president and CEO of PPH. The company currently has management contracts and ownership arrangement with seven surgery centers in operations and six additional centers in the development and construction phase. He has 25 years of experience in healthcare delivery, management and physician relations. Throughout his career, Mr. Taylor has worked with physicians in an office setting and experienced the processes, challenges and expectations healthcare providers face. He previously served as president and COO of a large provider of ASC services. As a certified athletic trainer, his initial entry into healthcare was focused in the delivery of sports medicine and non-surgical orthopedic care. He has had responsibilities for multiple healthcare sites across the United States and United Kingdom over the course of his career. He also serves as an adjunct professor in healthcare at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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.
George Tinawi, MD (Surgery Center Partners). CEO 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.
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 United States and United Kingdom. Over half of the facilities in the United States are jointly owned facilities with non-profit healthcare systems and hospitals. He has also served as the company's president and a director. Prior to joining USPI Mr. Wilcox served as CEO of United Dental Care. Previous positions also include president of the Surgery Group of HCA, president and CEO of the ambulatory surgery division of HCA and president, COO and a director of Medical Care International.
Donald C. Wilson (Cirrus Health). Mr. Wilson is CEO of Cirrus Health. Prior to this position he founded one of Cirrus' predecessors and developed an extensive commercial real estate portfolio in various locations across Texas and surrounding states. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Wilson has focused on the development of medical operations platforms and medically oriented real estate projects, including ASCs, specialty surgical hospitals, acute care hospitals, medical office buildings, primary care clinics, radiation oncology units and other complex medical facilities. Mr. Wilson earned a degree in business administration from the University of Texas in Austin.
Tom Yerden (TRY Health Care Solutions). Mr. Yerden serves as CEO of TRY Health Care Solutions. During his more than 28 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 over 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.
Joseph Zasa, JD, Robert Zasa, MSHHA, FACMPE (ASD Management). Mr. Joseph and Mr. Robert Zasa are co-founders and managing partners of ASD Management (formerly Woodrum/ASD). The company has developed and managed more than 125 surgery centers. Mr. Joseph Zasa is former president of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and currently serves on its board as well as the board of the ASC Advocacy Committee. He previously served as regional director of surgery center operations for ProSurg and corporate counsel for Premier Ambulatory Systems, which Mr. Robert Zasa founded and led to acquire 15 ASCs. Mr. Robert Zasa previously served as vice president of American Medical International and COO of AMI Ambulatory Centers. He is a fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives. He also established Premier Ambulatory Systems.
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, was 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.
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.
David Ayers (Nueterra Healthcare). Mr. Ayers is CEO of Nueterra Healthcare and has 30 years of experience developing, building and managing hospitals as well as ambulatory surgery, imaging, physical therapy and urgent care centers. He also has experience working with physicians and health systems to develop partnerships. Mr. Ayers is on the board of directors of Physicians Hospitals of America. He earned a degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
David "Buddy" F. 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.
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, LLC 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 1999-2007. He has also served as a director of First Professionals Insurance Company and president and board chairman of Stuart Eye Institute.
Richard M. Bracken (Hospital Corporation of America). Mr. Bracken serves as chairman and CEO of HCA. In 1981 he joined HCA, where he has held many executive positions, including COO and president. He has also served as CEO of the Green Hospital of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in San Diego and CEO of Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. He has served on the boards of the California Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals and United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. He is also a member of several professional organizations and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Jesse Chamberlain (Artisan Medical). Mr. Chamberlain is managing partner of Artisan Medical and has over 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.
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 BS in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India, an MS in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
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.
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. In the past he oversaw the management of 14 surgery centers and provided operational services for several outpatient rehabilitation facilities. He graduated from California State University at Chico.
Michael Doyle (Surgery Partners). Mr. Doyle is CEO of Surgery Partners. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the firm's day-to-day operation and expansion through partnerships. He has experience developing and managing hospitals, surgical centers and imaging centers. Throughout his career, Mr. Doyle has been a hands-on manager and he applies his practical experience of managing and developing healthcare services to his current position. He spent 10 years in a large corporate healthcare organization, where he became senior vice president of operations. Mr. Doyle earned a Bachelor's in physiotherapy from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and an MBA from Troy (Ala.) State University.
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.
Gregory George, MD, PhD, Sean O'Neil (SurgCenter Development). Dr. George and Mr. O'Neil are founding principals and CEOs of SurgCenter Development. Dr. George, a practicing ophthalmologist, received his medical degree and PhD in ocular physiology from Duke University in Durham, N.C. Mr. O'Neil, who has over 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'Neil's leadership, SurgCenter Development has developed over 60 physician-owned ASCs.
John H. Hajjar, MD, FACS, MBA (Surgem). Dr. Hajjar, CEO of Surgem, is a urologist who developed one of the first ASCs in New Jersey at Fair Lawn and has been managing facilities since 1992. Dr. Hajjar also operates one of the largest private urology practices in the United States, with 17 physicians in 11 locations. He also participates in and performs surgery at two of Surgem's locations.
Andrew Hayek (Surgical Care Affiliates). Mr. Hayek serves as president, CEO and a member of the board of directors of SCA. Since the beginning of 2011, the company has been part of three different partnerships between healthcare providers. The company is affiliated with 18 healthcare providers from across the country. Prior to SCA, he served as president of a division of DaVita, a renal dialysis company, and as president and CEO of Alliance Healthcare Services. Mr. Hayek previously worked for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a global private equity firm, and the Boston Consulting Group. He serves on the board of directors of Senior Home Care. Mr. Hayek earned a BA from Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Edward P. Hetrick (Facility Development & Management). Mr. Hetrick is the founder and president of Facility Development & Management, and has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. His previous positions include vice president at Healthcare Facilities Management, director of operations management at a major teaching institution, operating room administrator and consultant within the healthcare division of an accounting firm. He also has experience with planning and implementing manual and automated systems. Mr. Hetrick earned a BS from the United States Military Academy at West Point (N.Y.) and an MBA and MPH from Columbia University in New York City.
Jeremy Hogue (Sovereign Healthcare). Mr. Hogue is co-founder, president and CEO of Sovereign Healthcare. 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.
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.
Richard K. Jacques (Covenant Surgical Partners). Mr. Jacques, president and CEO of Covenant Surgical Partners, has over 15 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.
Marc Jang (Titan Health). Mr. Jang, founder, president and CEO of Titan, has held executive positions in healthcare for almost 20 years. He has focused specifically on ASCs for the past 10 years. He has experience in finance; mergers and acquisitions; and development and operations. Mr. Jang previously served as vice president of finance for Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Surgery Centers and regional vice president for ASC Network.
Luke Lambert, MBA, CFA, CASC (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 New York City's Columbia Graduate School of Business and was among the first to earn the CASC designation in 2002. ASCOA currently operates 34 facilities across the country and continues to look for new partnership opportunities.
Jared Leger (Arise Healthcare). Mr. Leger is managing partner and CEO of Arise. He began his career as an RN in the operating room, but has spent most of his time in healthcare business. He previously served as a partner in a privately held healthcare management company, and has experience in the medical-device industry, ASC development and ASC transactions. He has also syndicated and operated several physician-owned surgery centers. In addition to leading Arise, Mr. Leger currently owns a real estate investment company. He is CASC certified.
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 2006-2007 and now serves on the board. He earned an MS in exercise science from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Jeff Leland (Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners). Mr. Leland is CEO of Blue Chip. The company currently works with 12 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, responsible for both business development and Advocate's 225,000-member health plan. He was also president of HealthSpring Medical Group and CEO of Western Ohio Health Care, an HMO with more than 200,000 members that was acquired by United HealthCare. Mr. Leland is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School in Boston.
Michael Lipomi (Surgical Management Professionals). Mr. Lipomi serves as president and CEO of SMP and has over 30 years of experience in hospital and ambulatory surgery facility management. Surgical Management Professionals offers both ownership and non-ownership management services for providers. The company currently works with 11 healthcare providers across the country and in Canada. His first position was with American Medical International at El Cajon Valley Hospital in San Diego. Later in his career he served as CEO of Stanislaus Surgical Hospital in Modesto, Calif. Prior to his current role he was president of RMC MedStone, where he owned and managed several surgery centers and a surgical hospital.
Rodney H. Lunn (Surgical Health Group). Mr. Lunn is principal of Surgical Health Group and has extensive background in ASC development. Practice Development Associates, which he founded in 1987, was one of the first companies to focus on surgery center development. Over the past 17 years, Mr. Lunn has developed more than 150 ASCs throughout the United States. He was a founder, director and the senior vice president of AmSurg, controller for MEDINC, vice president of finance and CFO of American Medical Centers and owner and manager of acute care hospitals. He also has experience in the HMO industry, in which he served as CFO of INA (now Cigna) Healthplan of Texas and vice president of HealthAmerica of Florida.
Thomas Mallon (Regent Surgical Health). Mr. Mallon co-founded Regent Surgical Health in 2001 and serves as CEO. Over the past 10 years, the company has grown to include 18 facilities nationwide, serving 45,000 patients per year and attracting 400 physician partners. The leadership team is committed to helping groups develop a new surgery center or assist in immediate improvements of an existing facility. He was previously a partner with Gryffindor Capital Partners, a Chicago-based venture-capital fund, and at Same Day Surgery, which acquired five distressed and underutilized ASCs and a physician management company. Prior to joining Same Day Surgery he was vice president of leasing and marketing for JMB Realty and later for Miglin-Beitler Developments. Mr. Mallon holds an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston.
Krystal Mims (Texas Health Partners). Ms. Mims, a CPA, is president and CEO of Texas Health Partners. She previously served as CFO for Physician's Medical Center, a specialty hospital in Plano, Texas, Southlake (Texas) Specialty Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall (Texas). Her background in healthcare began in physician practice management. She was CFO for Texas Back Institute in Plano, CFO of Practice Performance and administrator of Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver in Greenwood Village, Colo., and Lone Tree, Colo.
Kris Mineau (Constitution Surgery Centers). Mr. Mineau co-founded CSC in 1997 and serves as its president and CEO. Prior to founding CSC, Mr. Mineau was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and received a Bachelor's 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, where he served as its founding president.
Steve Mohebi (Smithfield Surgical Partners). Mr. Mohebi is chief development officer of Smithfield Surgical Partners in Rocklin, Calif., and manages the company along with Chief Operating Officer Gregory Horner, MD, and CEO Todd Borst. Smithfield develops medical office buildings, surgical facilities and medical malls. Smithfield maintains minority ownership in its surgical facilities.
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 in health administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Thomas A. Newman (Foundation Surgery Affiliates). Foundation HealthCare Affiliates named Tom Newman as its executive vice president and chief operations officer in Jan. 2008. Mr. Newman previously served as FHA's vice president of operations since joining the company in 2003. In Jan. 2009, FHA spun off its ASC division and formed a new subsidiary, Foundation Surgery Affiliates. FSA is focused exclusively on the management and development of ASCs, and Mr. Newman was selected to lead the management and operational efforts for all 16 of the company's surgery centers. Mr. Newman has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, most notably in the areas of operations, clinical compliance, process improvement and health information technology. In prior leadership positions, Mr. Newman served as the CEO of a performance management company.
Fred W. Ortmann, III (Ortmann Healthcare Consultants). Mr. Ortmann is founder, president and CEO of Ortmann Healthcare Consultants. He has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, including developing ASCs in 26 states. He founded Ortmann Healthcare Consultants in Sept. 2001 after helping to found AmSurg, where he served as vice president for center development. He has also served as a consultant to Olympus America. He received his MHA from Baylor University in Texas. Note: Shortly after publication of this list, Ortmann Healthcare Consultants announced the retirement of Mr. Ortmann. Chris McMenemy, former VP, will take over company operations and the company will now provide consulting services under the new name Ortmann Healthcare Consulting Services.
Chuck Peck, MD, FACP (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 around the country. He has over 30 years of healthcare experience as a clinician, educator and leader. He 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 multispecialty 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. Dr. Peck is also a featured author and regularly speaks in front of national audiences.
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.
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.
Lori Ramirez (Elite Surgical Affiliates). Ms. Ramirez is founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates. She has more than 12 years of experience in surgical development, operations and management. Prior to founding the company in Jan. 2008, she was a senior vice president of United Surgical Partners International, where she developed the second-largest network of surgical facilities in Houston. Ms. Ramirez was also involved in strategic planning, operations management, physician partnerships and financing in surgery centers. She has experience joint venturing with health systems such as Memorial Hermann in Houston and Irving, Texas-based CHRISTUS Health System.
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.
Stephen Rosenbaum (Interventional Management Services). Mr. Rosenbaum is co-founder and CEO of IMS. His background includes work with physicians and physician-owned facilities. In his more than 15 years of healthcare experience he has served as vice president of finance for development at MedCath and helped develop Carolinas Surgery Center. Mr. Rosenbaum also created an independent healthcare consulting company, SourceRevenue, where he was involved in the development of a neurosurgical hospital and 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.
Kenneth R. Ross (Solara Surgical Partners). Mr. Ross is CEO of Solara Surgical Partners and has over 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.
Jeff Sapp, Nancy Kastner (Innovative Surgical Solutions Management). Mr. Sapp and Ms. Kastner are principals of Innovative Surgical Solutions Management. With 21 years of healthcare management experience, Mr. Sapp has served as president of Physicians' Strategic Alliance; co-founder and senior vice president of development for Surgical Synergies; founder and CEO of Innovative Surgical Solutions, which later became Surgis; co-founder and executive vice president of ASC Operations for Surgis; and vice president of development for USPI. Ms. Kastner has experience with ASCs gaining AHCA approval, increasing commercial contract reimbursement, achieving turn arounds and establishing correct billing practices.
Bob Scheller, CPA, CASC (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 Master's in business from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Donald Schellpfeffer, MD (Medical Facilities Corp.). Dr. Schellpfeffer is CEO of MFC and has over 18 years of experience in ambulatory surgical environments and 22 years in general, cardiovascular and trauma practices. He has served as medical director and a member of the management committee of Sioux Falls (S.D.) Surgical Center since he founded it in 1985. He also serves as president of Anesthesia Associates, the largest anesthesia services provider in South Dakota. Dr. Schellpfeffer received a PhD in animal physiology from the University of Minnesota in St. Paul and an MD from University of South Dakota School of Medicine in Vermillion.
Matt Searles (Merritt Healthcare). Mr. Searles has been a Partner with Merritt Healthcare for more than then 10 years. During that time, he has managed and advised for dozens of healthcare facilities across the country. His background includes experience in corporate finance and venture capital-backed companies. He previously served as the senior vice president of finance for a Greenwich, Conn.-based service company where he oversaw an expansion from $10 million in revenue to more than $100 million in revenue. He earned his MBA from Duke University in Durham, N.C.
John R. Seitz (Ambulatory Surgical Group). Mr. Seitz is co-founder, chairman and CEO of ASG. He has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, including founding and leading start-up companies. Prior to joining ASG, Mr. Seitz co-founded and served as president of Surgem, where he directed the development and operation of eight ASC projects. He has also 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.
Bill Simon (Innovative Healthcare Management). Mr. Simon is president and founder of Innovative Healthcare. Before founding the company in 1995, he 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.
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 with CFO Karen Sablyak. The company currently manages 17 endoscopy centers. Before joining PE, Mr. Tanner was co-founder, CFO and COO of Miami-based Navix Radiology Systems. During that time, he helped the company grow from zero to more than $75 million in revenues. He has also served as COO of HealthInfusion, a Miami-based provider of home intravenous therapy services. Before joining the healthcare industry Mr. Tanner worked in financial services managing financial and operational turnarounds of publicly-traded companies. He co-founded the financial services company Scientific Leasing, which he operated for more than 10 years.
Larry D. Taylor (Practice Partners in Healthcare). Mr. Taylor is founder, president and CEO of PPH. The company currently has management contracts and ownership arrangement with seven surgery centers in operations and six additional centers in the development and construction phase. He has 25 years of experience in healthcare delivery, management and physician relations. Throughout his career, Mr. Taylor has worked with physicians in an office setting and experienced the processes, challenges and expectations healthcare providers face. He previously served as president and COO of a large provider of ASC services. As a certified athletic trainer, his initial entry into healthcare was focused in the delivery of sports medicine and non-surgical orthopedic care. He has had responsibilities for multiple healthcare sites across the United States and United Kingdom over the course of his career. He also serves as an adjunct professor in healthcare at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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.
George Tinawi, MD (Surgery Center Partners). CEO 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.
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 United States and United Kingdom. Over half of the facilities in the United States are jointly owned facilities with non-profit healthcare systems and hospitals. He has also served as the company's president and a director. Prior to joining USPI Mr. Wilcox served as CEO of United Dental Care. Previous positions also include president of the Surgery Group of HCA, president and CEO of the ambulatory surgery division of HCA and president, COO and a director of Medical Care International.
Donald C. Wilson (Cirrus Health). Mr. Wilson is CEO of Cirrus Health. Prior to this position he founded one of Cirrus' predecessors and developed an extensive commercial real estate portfolio in various locations across Texas and surrounding states. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Wilson has focused on the development of medical operations platforms and medically oriented real estate projects, including ASCs, specialty surgical hospitals, acute care hospitals, medical office buildings, primary care clinics, radiation oncology units and other complex medical facilities. Mr. Wilson earned a degree in business administration from the University of Texas in Austin.
Tom Yerden (TRY Health Care Solutions). Mr. Yerden serves as CEO of TRY Health Care Solutions. During his more than 28 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 over 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.
Joseph Zasa, JD, Robert Zasa, MSHHA, FACMPE (ASD Management). Mr. Joseph and Mr. Robert Zasa are co-founders and managing partners of ASD Management (formerly Woodrum/ASD). The company has developed and managed more than 125 surgery centers. Mr. Joseph Zasa is former president of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and currently serves on its board as well as the board of the ASC Advocacy Committee. He previously served as regional director of surgery center operations for ProSurg and corporate counsel for Premier Ambulatory Systems, which Mr. Robert Zasa founded and led to acquire 15 ASCs. Mr. Robert Zasa previously served as vice president of American Medical International and COO of AMI Ambulatory Centers. He is a fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives. He also established Premier Ambulatory Systems.
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, was 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.