CHUCK LAUER'S THOUGHT LEADERSHIP PANEL

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Charles Martin is the chairman and CEO of Vanguard Health Systems, Inc., headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., a post he has held since 1997. Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. owns and operates 26 acute care hospitals and complementary facilities and services in Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; and Massachusetts. Prior to his position with Vanguard, Mr. Martin was chairman, president and chief operating officer of OrNda HealthCorp. Under his leadership OrNda grew from revenue of $450 million to $3 billion in four years to become the nation’s third largest investor-owned hospital management company. His career also includes serving as president, director and chief operating officer of HealthTrust Inc., as well as executive vice president and director of Hospital Corporation of America, and chief operating officer and director of General Care Corp. 

Michael D. Means has served as president and chief executive officer and member of the board of directors for Health First, a regional not-for-profit, integrated health care organization since its inception in August 1995. Health First’s current configuration includes Holmes Regional Medical Center, a 528-bed tertiary medical center; Cape Canaveral hospital, a 150-bed community hospital; Palm Bay Hospital, a 152-bed hospital, the 100-bed Viera Hospital, which opened April, 2011; and more than 20 off-site facilities. He has an extensive background in health care administration in central Florida. Mr. Means served as president and chief executive officer of Holmes Regional Medical Center from September 1988 through July 1995. Prior to joining Holmes Regional Medical he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Since 2002, when he became the University of Louisville's 17th president, Dr. James Ramsey has worked aggressively to create a university culture focused on research and innovation that seeks to improve the quality of life for people in Kentucky and beyond. It is under his leadership and guidance that the University of Louisville Board of Trustees voted in June of this year to expedite a merger between University of Louisville Hospital/James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare, and Catholic Health Initiatives and its Lexington-based operation, Saint Joseph Health System. The combined entity will represent more than 3,000 doctors and 91 locations with several billion dollars in combined revenue. Through Dr. Ramsey's focus on research and innovation, the University has become America’s second fastest growing research university in National Institutes of Health funding. Before assuming the University's top post, he served as senior policy adviser and state budget director for Kentucky, and senior professor of economics and public policy at the University of Louisville.

Don Wegmiler

Chairman and Co-Founder

C-Suite Resources

Don Wegmiller is Chairman and co-founder of C-Suite Resources, a healthcare market intelligence and executive advisory firm. He is also currently Chairman Emeritus of Integrated Healthcare Strategies. He currently sits on its National Board of Advisors. Integrated Healthcare Strategies is a leading authority on executive compensation and physician compensation for health care organizations. With over 900 clients located in all 50 states, Integrated Healthcare Strategies serves as consultant to many of the leading health care systems in the country. Wegmiller has also served as vice chairman of Scottsdale Institute, an information technology collaborative, since its founding in 1993. Prior to coming to Integrated Healthcare Strategies, he served as vice chairman and president of HealthSpan Health Systems Corporation, Minnesota’s largest health care network.