Medical Group Management Association and American College of Medical Practice Executives appoint new boards

Boards comprise leading medical group practice professionals

Denver, Oct. 12, 2009 – The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has announced that Forrest D. Danner Jr., FACMPE, vice president and chief operating officer of Aspirus Clinics Inc., Wausau, Wis., will serve as Board chair for 2009-2010. Alan J. Beason, MS, FACMPE, chief executive officer, Cardiovascular Consultants LLP, Shreveport, La., has been named Board chair of the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE), MGMA's standard-setting body. Danner and Beason assumed their positions during the MGMA 2009 Annual Conference, Oct. 11-14 in Denver.

Danner succeeds Christine A. Schon, MPA, FACMPE, vice president community group practices at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Bedford, N.H., who served as MGMA Board Chair for 2008-2009. Beason succeeds ACMPE Board Chair Rebecca S. Dean, MA, FACMPE, corporate executive director at Sportsmedicine Fairbanks (Alaska). Both Schon and Dean will continue to serve as immediate past chairs and members of their executive committees.

Others elected to the MGMA Board include:

• Stephen A. Dickens, JD, FACMPE, risk management specialist, State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Co. Brentwood, Tenn. 
• Kathryn A. Mahaffey, MPA, chief operating officer, SIU Healthcare, SIU School of Medicine,  Springfield, Ill.
• Mickey Smith, CMPE, FACHE, FHFMA, chief executive officer, Oak Hill Hospital, Brooksville, Fla.
• David Taylor, FACMPE, FACHE, vice president regional services, CoxHealth, Springfield, Mo.

MGMA returning Board members:

• Shena J. Scott, MBA, FACMPE, executive director, Brevard Anesthesia Services PA, Melbourne, Fla., as vice chair
• Genie G. Blough, MBA, FACMPE, principal, G Blough Associates LLC, Mobile, Ala.
• Elizabeth M. Wertz-Evans, FACMPE, president and chief operating officer, PANDA and Associates, LLC, Cranberry Township, Pa.
• Nancy R. Babbitt, FACMPE, practice administrator, Roswell Pediatric Center PC, Alpharetta, Ga.
• Kevin J. Dwyer, CMPE, administrator, Albany (N.Y.) Cardiothoracic Surgeons PC 
• Brian P. Kelly, MBA, CMPE, chief executive officer, Women's Healthcare Associates LLC, Beaverton, Ore.
• Nancy A. Martin, MBA, CMPE, administrator, Canton Aultman Emergency Physicians, Canton, Ohio
• John J. Masiello, CMPE, chief operating officer, Bergen Medical Alliance PA, Englewood, N.J.
• Gary C. Paavola, MBA, CMPE, administrator, Michigan Vascular Center, Flint
• Barbara R. Spurrier, MHA, CMPE, vice chair for center for innovation, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn.
• Mark C. Shields, MD, MBA, vice president of medical management, Advocate Health Care and senior medical director, Advocate Physician Partners, Mt. Prospect, Ill.
• Debra J. Wiggs, FACMPE, chief executive officer, Trinity Management Solutions, Bellingham, Wash.

ACMPE which promotes the professional development and certification of medical group practice professionals, elected to its Board:

• J. William Appling, MBA, FACMPE, president, Watkins Uiberall Healthcare Consulting Group, Memphis, Tenn.
• William S. Henderson, FACMPE, administrator, Upstate Neurology Consultants LLP, Albany, N.Y. 

ACMPE returning Board members:

• Alan D. Winkler, FACMPE, vice president ­­­– clinic operations, St. Vincent Health System, Little Rock, Ark., as vice chair
• D. Cheryl Erins, MBA, FACMPE, director ­­­–  business operations, Mt. Sinai Medical Group, West Chester, Ill., as secretary/treasurer
• Edward J. Ludwig III, FACMPE, chief operating officer, Associated Retinal Consultants LLC, Kenilworth, N.J.
• Thomas A. Ludwig, RN, FACMPE, clinical operations officer, Access Community Health Centers, Madison, Wis.
• Ann C. McFarland, FACMPE, director, Southwind Health Partners LLC, Helena, Mont.
• Philip W. Rhoades, MBA, FACMPE, chief executive officer, Orthopedic Group Inc., Pawtucket, R.I.

About MGMA

MGMA is the premier membership association for professional administrators and leaders of medical group practices. Since 1926, MGMA has delivered networking, professional education and resources, and political advocacy for medical practice management. Today, MGMA's 22,500 members lead 13,700 organizations nationwide in which some 275,000 physicians provide more than 40 percent of the health care services delivered in the United States.

MGMA's mission is to continually improve the performance of medical group practice professionals and the organizations they represent. MGMA promotes the group practice model as the optimal framework for health care delivery, assisting group practices in providing efficient, safe, patient-focused and affordable care. MGMA is headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and maintains a government affairs office in Washington, D.C.

About ACMPE
Founded in 1956, ACMPE is the standard setting and certification organization of MGMA. Through ACMPE, medical group managers can earn the Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) designation and go on to earn the highest distinction of Fellow in the ACMPE (FACMPE). ACMPE members belong to a network of management professionals dedicated to becoming the best in medical practice management by combining experience, learning and professional certification.