Industry People

The National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers (NRRTS) has announced new officers for 2005. President-Elect Michael P. Seidel, CRTS, is employed by the Mobile Med+Care/Division of Apria in Lenexa, Kan. A NRRTS registrant since 1994, Seidel became a CRTS in 1997. Officers elected to join Seidel are Treasurer Gerry Dickerson, CRTS, of Medstar, College Point, N.Y.; Director Ken Green, ATS, CRTS, of National Seating & Mobility, Lexington, Ky.; Director Jim Glaes, ATP, CRTS, of Southern Rehab, Metairie, La.; Review Chair for DMERC A Michele Gunn, ATP, CRTS, of Browning’s Pharmacy & Health Care, Orlando, Fla.; and Review Chair for DMERC D Shawn Boyt, CRTS, of Thompson Pharmacy & Medical, Traverse City, Mich.

Kieran T. Gallahue has been named president of ResMed Global. Before joining the company in January 2003 as president and COO of the Americas, he held the positions of president, CFO and vice president of strategic marketing for San Diego-based Nanogen. Gallahue will be responsible for global operations, new business development and product innovation for the manufacturer.

Woburn, Mass.-based PolyMedica Corp., parent of diabetic supply company Liberty Healthcare Group, has appointed Patrick T. Ryan president and CEO. Ryan has more than 20 years of experience in health care, most recently serving as chairman and CEO of Physicians Dialysis, the nation’s sixth-largest dialysis provider. Additionally, Liberty’s President Stephen Farrell will assume the additional role of COO for PolyMedica.

Norcross, Ga.-based Pediatric Services of America has announced the retirement of company founder and CEO Joseph D. Sansone. Company Chairman Edward K. Wissing will assume the role of CEO until the company’s board finds a successor. Wissing previously served as president and CEO of Brentwood, Tenn.-based American HomePatient from 1984 until 1998.

Electronic CMN supplier SecureCare Technologies (previously eClickMD) has announced a physician advisory board to support the company’s growth strategy. Dr. Richard Corlin, company chairman and the most recent past president of the American Medical Association, was named to head the advisory board. The board also includes AMA President-Elect Dr. Edward Hill, a family physician from Tupelo, Miss., and Dr. Mary Herald, an endocrinologist in private practice in New Jersey and a representative of the American College of Physicians.

Wallace Weeks, founder and president of Melbourne, Fla.-based Weeks Group, has joined the board of directors of Able Project, a nonprofit organization focusing on helping people with disabilities. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Able Project provides a network to help people with disabilities obtain assistive products and lead more independent lives.

Thomas M. Oleksy, president and CEO of seating-system manufacturer The Roho Group, Belleville, Ill., has been awarded the Corporate Patriot Award by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The award recognizes an individual’s significant contribution toward furthering the goals and mission of PVA.

Orthopedic softgoods manufacturer Sroufe Healthcare Products, Ligonier, Ind., has hired Emanuel “Manny” Cardinale as vice president of OEM sales. Previously, Cardinale held several executive positions at Velcro USA in Manchester, N.H., where he worked for 27 years.

Jennifer De Vries has been appointed executive director of eLearning at Joint Commission Resources in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. JCR, an affiliate of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), specializes in helping health care organizations improve patient safety and quality of care.

W. Thomas Mitchell has been appointed to the board of directors at San Diego-based dj Orthopedics, which specializes in rehabilitation and regeneration products for non-operative orthopedic and spine markets. Mitchell, who has more than 30 years of experience, is the former chairman of the board and CEO of Genencor International.

The Medicare Rights Center announced that Karen F. Davenport has joined the consumer group as its Washington, D.C., director. Previously, Davenport worked as a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest health care philanthropy. Before that, she worked on Capitol Hill and with the Health Care Financing Administration (now known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services).

East Brunswick, N.J.-based Humanicare International has promoted Jack C. Fehrenback to vice president of sales. Fehrenback joined the company in 1995 as director of sales. Humanicare is a manufacturer of adult incontinence products sold under the Dignity brand.

PlainSense Wheelchairs of Peachtree City, Ga., has hired James Barnard as production manager. His duties will include managing the manufacturing, assembly, quality and shipping processes for the company’s pediatric wheelchair line.

Lisa Bargmann has launched Homecare Collection Services, a division of Bargmann Management LLC. Based in Broadview Heights, Ohio, the collection agency will be geared solely toward HME and ancillary medical services.

Pamela J. Jackson has been named director of marketing for San Diego-based SeQual Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of medical and industrial air separation systems. Jackson was previously a manufacturing engineering manager at Puritan-Bennett and served as vice president of inVENTive Technologies.

Bruce Brothis, formerly of Centralized Billing and Intake Ltd., has been appointed education services director/senior consultant for Alternative Billing Solutions, Bloomington, Minn. Brothis, who has more than 20 years of industry experience, will assist in the development of a new HME training program as well as provide outside consulting services.

Health Policy Players

CMS Administrator Mark McClellan announced this summer that Leslie V. Norwalk has been promoted to deputy administrator. Norwalk had been acting deputy administrator and COO of the agency since January 2003. Along with helping to implement provisions in the Medicare Modernization Act and on Program Integrity activities, she will serve as a liaison with other agencies in HHS and work with Congress, McClellan said. McClellan also announced that John Robert Dyer has joined the Office of the Administrator in CMS’ Baltimore headquarters as COO. Dyer will be responsible for day-to-day operational activities and the execution of new program initiatives.

Daniel R. Levinson, President Bush’s nominee to fill the Inspector General post at HHS, has been appointed acting IG as he awaits Senate approval to assume the permanent post. Levinson is the former Inspector General at the U.S. General Services Administration. In that role, he helped prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse and promoted sound procurement activities and contract management.