Bios
Richard K. Keck Jr. – Founder and President of StratEx
For 25 years, Richard has been helping healthcare organizations achieve positive results. His experience includes; strategic planning, business development, mergers and acquisitions, physician practice management, and hospital operations. He has held executive positions several leading healthcare organizations including; Health Central ( now Allina ) Hospital Corporation of America, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, National Health Advisors and most recently with Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, where he was responsible for “growing the revenue line”. During his tenure Swedish’s revenue grew from $400M to $850M. Richard also had operating responsibility for numerous programs including: Heart Institute, Cancer Institute, Neuroscience Institute, Pediatrics, Sleep Medicine Institute, Research and the Physician Division.
At Swedish Richard developed and executed a plan for the Swedish Heart Institute resulting in revenue growth from $30M to $100M. He also led a primary group from a $20M annual loss to break even in three years. Richard led development and implementation of Swedish’s innovative “Service Line Management” structure.
Richard also serves as Executive in Residence with Pacific Horizon Ventures, a life science venture capital firm located in Seattle where he provides business development and management expertise for the firms portfolio companies. He is also on the advisory boards of Total Living Choices, OnSite Docs, and Wearair.
Richard is a national speaker on healthcare business strategy and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Washington and the Wharton Business School. Richard has BS in biology from Central Michigan University and a Masters Degree in hospital and health care management from The George Washington University.
Frank G. Fox, PhD - Quantitative Analysis and Financial Modeling *
Frank provides quantitative analysis and financial modeling including demographics, financial analysis and projections, program/service utilization, market analysis, statistical survey research and timing issues for health ventures. His projects include hospital-owned joint venture physician-hospital, and freestanding services in radiology, oncology, emergency services, ambulatory surgery, infusion therapy GI labs, and physician's clinics. Clients include health systems, hospitals, physician group practices and independent businesses.
He directs work with healthcare and other organizations in the development and implementation of actions to improve performance. This work is quantitative, model-driven, and very outcome-focused. Frank will take the lead role in analyzing the market environment, actual and projected performance, and market place opportunities. Frank worked at a large health system where he was responsible for all R&D, including evaluation and implementation.
Frank's projects include: demand and financial modeling, including future year budget forecasts and business plan development; statistical survey research and analysis; strategic plan development; asset and program/service valuation, including physician practices and other businesses; new business development; joint ventures; compilation and analysis of information defining internal and market actions; medical staff development plans; technology acquisition/implementation; and expert consultation with clients regarding quantitative analysis and modeling, including evaluation of new technology. He also prepares compliance reports, including certificate- of -need documents.
Frank is President of Health Trends, a healthcare consulting firm. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Washington , Seattle , Wash. , and an M.A. in economics from the University of Washington , Seattle , Wash. , and a B.A. in economics from the University of Washington , Seattle , Wash.
Lee A. Norman, MD- Physician Executive *
Lee is a physician executive, healthcare consultant and project manager. As a physician executive, Dr. Norman most recently served as Senior Vice President of Carondelet Health System (CHS), a nationwide Catholic-sponsored non-profit organization that owned and operated hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, and skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. In December of 2002, CHS merged with Ascension Health following a significant turnaround that resulted in stabilizing the financial performance and viability of CHS. In his role as the senior physician executive, he had oversight responsibilities for clinical quality and resource utilization; medical staff affairs; risk management programs and financing, including the CHS Self-Insurance Trust and Carondelet Insurance Limited captive insurance company; workers’ compensation; corporate compliance; HIPAA program management; and medical staff leadership development and strategy.
Prior to his role at CHS Dr. Norman was at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. He held a variety of positions including Vice President for Medical Affairs for an 850-bed hospital system with a medical staff of 2000 physicians.
Dr. Norman is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice and has practiced both family medicine and emergency medicine. He is currently on the UW medical school and graduate school faculties as associate professor. Dr. Norman was Chairman of the Board of the Puget Sound Blood Center and Tissue Program from 2000-2002, and was on the Board for six years. He has published and lectured on the subjects of clinical performance improvement, clinical-financial management, risk management, and medical staff leadership development.
After completing his undergraduate degree in social work, Dr. Norman received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and completed his family practice residency in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has a master of health services degree from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, and an executive master of business administration degree from the University of Washington Graduate School of Business.
Christopher Marsh - Healthcare Lawyer *
Chris specializes in health law involving a wide range of specific health care regulatory, intellectual property and transactional matters. Representative clients include tax exempt and proprietary hospitals, physicians and medical groups, home health and other health care providers, physician-hospital organizations, independent practice associations, management service organizations, practice management companies, and insurance and managed care payers.
Chris has worked on a myriad of healthcare projects since beginning practice in 1980. Some notable examples include: working on obtaining one of the first IRS Private Letter Rulings on net revenue stream joint ventures (documenting the initial transaction as specifically approved by the IRS and also the unwind agreements following the IRS’s change of mind and subsequent ruling in GCM 39862 disapproving those joint ventures); forming and acting as general outside counsel to numerous small and large physician networks and PHOs involved in capitated managed care contracting; assisting hospitals with physician recruitment matters and documentation; serving as general outside counsel for the Washington State Health Insurance Pool; working on a proposed transaction converting a tax exempt healthcare organization to a for-profit company; acting as counsel for various parties with regard to numerous ancillary services (cardiac catheterization, diagnostic imaging, sleep disorder, ambulatory surgery) joint ventures among physicians, and similar joint ventures between hospitals and physicians; working with physicians and medical groups in the development of subscription fee practice models; and working on various physician practice and medical group restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, and capital and compensation matters.
Chris also served ten years as a board member of the Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys and as its past-president (1996-97). Chris has been honored by selections as one of the Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers in Washington in health law. Chris is a graduate of Rice University (BA 1976) and a 1980 cum laude graduate of Seattle University School of Law, where, since 1999, he has also been a member of the adjunct faculty teaching health law courses.
Sue Eastman - Marketing Strategist *
Sue is widely recognized as one of the Pacific Northwest's foremost health care marketing strategists. As a principal in Brems Eastman and Partners, a strategic communications firm, she brings over twenty-five years of experience to the table. She has aided dozens of companies with her insight, problem-solving skills and thorough understanding of the medical marketplace. Among other services, she and the agency offer their proprietary SmartPathTM Strategic Brand Development and Planning Process, which has driven successful brand campaigns and communications programs for a multitude of clients over the years.
Companies from across the entire continuum of health care have turned to Brems Eastman and Partners to plan and execute strategic communications programs. Clients have ranged from hospital systems and benefits providers to medical-device manufacturers and software developers. They have included Bard Diagnostic Sciences, Becton Dickinson Worldwide, Cadwell Laboratories, Delta Dental, First Choice Health Plans, King County Emergency Medical Services, MultiCare Health System, Myo-Tronics, Northwest Hospital, Providence Health Plans, QualMed Health Plans, Quantum Medical Systems, Quinton Instrument Company, Siemens Ultrasound, Spacelabs, Swedish Medical Center and The University of Washington Medical Center.
Sue worked for agencies in Spokane, Seattle and Los Angeles before co-founding Brems Eastman and Partners in 1980. She currently serves the agency as both strategic planner and creative director, and heads a team of experienced, senior professionals. The agency provides the full spectrum of marketing communications services, creating and implementing complete programs encompassing print advertising, web design, online advertising, television, radio, outdoor, direct mail and other media.
Richard S. Slack - Strategy and Business Development *
Rich has over 25 years of experience directing all aspects of strategic planning, business development and marketing for major healthcare organizations. He has directed the development of health service organizations as a senior executive as well as consultant and manager for a large consulting practice. His experience includes business development and marketing strategy for physician groups, academic medical centers, rural hospitals, for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals.
Rich currently serves as the senior strategy and business development executive for Abbott Northwestern Hospital, the largest private teaching hospital in the Twin Cities and the tertiary flagship for Allina Health System.
A frequent speaker and presenter on a range of health and health-related topics, he is professionally active and affiliated as a faculty member with graduate programs in Health Sciences Administration at the University of Minnesota and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Rich holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Nebraska and a Master's Degree with an emphasis in operations and marketing from the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating with distinction.
Denny DeNarvaez, CPA - Executive Consultant *
Denny most recently served as president of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, largest hospital and tertiary flagship of Allina Health Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Born and raised in Canada, Denny attended Drake University, earning a B.A. in accounting and graduating Magna Cum Laude. After completing her C.P.A. degree, she accepted an accountant position with Coopers and Lybrand.
In 1983, Denny joined International Medical Centers in Miami as director of finance, and later moved to Thomas J. Merlo & Company where she was audit manager. In 1985, Denny was recruited to join Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach as the administrator of financial services, leading a successful multi-million dollar bond offering. Florida Medical Center recruited Denny in 1989 as their chief financial officer and subsequently serving as chief executive officer for the medical center, which included more than 1250 employees, 459 beds and over $25 million in earnings.
In 1998 she joined Allina Health System working for Medica as director of contracting. Two years later, she accepted the position of operations vice president, cardiovascular services, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital/Minneapolis Heart Institute. In October 2001, Denny served as interim chief operating officer of Abbott Northwestern Hospital and was promoted to president of the hospital in March, 2002.
* Independent affiliates