Newsmakers

Atlanta-based Graham-Field Health Products has appointed Sheldon “Shelly” Prial director of government relations. Prial founded the Homecare Providers Co-Op, a buying group and grassroots advocacy center for independent HME dealers, which is now part of Waterloo, Iowa-based The VGM Group. Prial, a HomeCare columnist and author of Yes, It Really Works: Building HME Retail Sales, will continue to work from Prial Consulting in Melbourne, Fla. Graham-Field, a manufacturer and distributor of home care, long-term care and acute care products, emerged from bankruptcy in May.

Cory Smith, group show director for Medtrade and Medtrade Spring, has been appointed director of Atlanta-based VNU Exposition’s Building Group, which includes the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, Wood Technology and Multi-Housing World events. VNU produces the Medtrade shows.

Zuzette Estevez, who has 10 years’ experience with Medtrade, will manage the shows while the company searches for a permanent director.

Branford, Conn.-based CAS Medical Systems, a manufacturer of blood pressure measurement technology, apnea monitoring equipment and other medical products, has appointed Andrew Kersey as chief operating officer, effective Jan. 1.

For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.