Health & Biotech

Premier Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (PHHI), a private company, announced it has named healthcare industry veteran Buffy Stultz White as CEO to lead the next phase of growth.

"I am honored to join PHHI, a diversified and highly respected organization that is committed to making positive impacts and a difference in the healthcare industry," said Buffy Stultz White, CEO. "I am thrilled to be part of an organization that believes so strongly in examining and solving the issues that hold back healthcare organizations."

White has more than 25 years of senior management experience, including expertise managing strategic client development, advanced recruitment processes, innovation, and operational efficiencies, as well as international and domestic workforce solution programs. Formerly, she was the Group President for Cross Country Healthcare Inc., a leading provider of total talent management solutions for healthcare clients. White has been recognized on the Staffing Industry Analysts' (SIA) Staffing 100 North America list and the Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list for two consecutive years.

"The healthcare industry is riddled with resource issues and looking for ways to provide services that optimize and offer alternatives to traditional contingent staffing," said White. "Healthcare organizations want a partner who will look at issues differently and consider a new approach, which is exactly what we plan to do."

As CEO, White will work closely with the leadership team to develop and execute strategic initiatives that aim to deliver innovative talent solutions, improve the clinician experience, provide exceptional value to customers, and further strengthen PHHI as a trusted partner in the healthcare staffing industry. Her initial focus will be to enhance the current service offerings, including travel nursing, local nursing, international, allied, rapid response, and dialysis staffing, as well as managed service provider (MSP) customizable workforce planning solutions. In addition to building upon the strengths of PHHI's services, White will also drive operational efficiencies and expand the organization's presence in key markets across its six subsidiaries, including Premier Healthcare Professionals (PHP), Adevia Health USA, Freedom Crisis Staffing, Freedom Healthcare Staffing, Corratel Healt  hcare and Renal Reserve.

"We're already successful with a solid foundation grounded in doing the right thing," said White. "Now we're ready for growth, and we owe it to the healthcare industry to ensure sustainable, innovative and fiscally responsible solutions."

Vantage MedTech, a leading provider of comprehensive design and manufacturing services for medical technology innovations, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Bartel as Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Bartel brings over 25 years of leadership experience within medical device and contract manufacturing organizations, including roles leading marketing, business development, and sales teams. With a passion for services and manufacturing, Mr. Bartel has a deep understanding of product development and building high-performing teams that share common values to accelerate growth.

He most recently served as CEO and Board Member of Waltek, Inc., a private equity-owned casting and machining company serving the medical industry, and President of Spectralytics, Inc., a medical device contract manufacturing organization, in addition to being COO and Board Member of Precision ADM, a 3D metal contract manufacturing company. He also spent four years at Stratasys, the leading 3D printing company, as VP and General Manager of their rapid prototyping business unit. Mr. Bartel holds a B.A., dual majors, in Economics and Management from Hartwick College and an M.B.A., focused on Business, Management, and Marketing, from the University of St. Thomas, Opus College of Business.

Upon his appointment as CEO, Mr. Bartel commented, "Vantage has been on an exciting growth journey, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as CEO. We have a talented team of 150+ medical device engineers with decades of industry expertise. Their dedication to partnering with medical device innovators from concept to realization is what makes Vantage stand apart and is key to our long term success."

Vantage is backed by Boston-based private equity firm Ampersand Capital Partners ("Ampersand"). Trevor Wahlbrink, Partner at Ampersand added "We are thrilled to have Jim join the Vantage team given his exceptional leadership qualities and deep understanding of contract services companies serving the medical device industry. His experience, commitment to quality, and teamwork mentality will prove invaluable to Vantage's growth strategy."

Initial Therapeutics Inc., a life sciences company discovering and developing new small-molecule therapeutics with a novel platform to selectively modulate translation of pathogenic proteins in the ribosome, has appointed Peter DiLaura as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Spiros Liras, Ph.D., a Venture Partner at Apple Tree Partners (ATP) and founding CEO of Initial, will continue to serve on Initial's Board of Directors and the company's Scientific Advisory Board.

"Peter has a strong senior leadership track record in biopharmaceuticals and significant expertise in strategy, funding, and business development at emerging companies on the leading edges of science. We are delighted that he is taking the helm at Initial as our first programs progress," Liras said. "His expertise across a range of therapeutic modalities and indications and his sharp instincts about how to move companies forward all match very well with Initial's talented team, versatile platform, and growth opportunities."

"For some time, I have been following Initial Therapeutics with keen interest—the company is doing exciting and original work focused on protein modulation in the ribosome that is unlike any other approach I have seen," DiLaura said. "It's an honor to join Initial and work with the company's scientists, founders, and Board members to advance the promise of Initial's platform and programs and ultimately, to introduce new classes of small-molecule therapeutics to fight cancers and other intractable illnesses."

Peter DiLaura brings to Initial nearly three decades of experience in life sciences company creation and building, financing, strategy, and operations. Most recently, he was Chief Business and Strategy Officer at Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing engineered regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies to treat serious autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. At Sonoma Bio, he drove financing and corporate development efforts and built Sonoma Bio's finance, legal, intellectual property, investor relations, program and portfolio management, and human resources functions. Before joining Sonoma Bio, DiLaura was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Third Rock Ventures involved in company creation activities. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Second Genome, Inc., a pioneering microbiome therapeutics company. DiLaura holds a B.A. in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Character Biosciences and is an advisor to several biotherapeutic companies and venture groups.

 Ascential Medical & Life Sciences announced the appointment of Anupam Girdhar as divisional CEO. A business leader with 25 years of operational and strategic experience, Mr. Girdhar has managed complex life science tools and medical devices businesses. He has a proven track record fostering growth and cultivating top-tier organizations and will work towards positioning Ascential Medical & Life Sciences for lasting success.

Mr. Girdhar joins the Ascential team from Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he spent the last seven years. Most recently, he served as vice president and general manager of PCR Platforms and Genetic Testing Solutions. Prior to that, he was instrumental in building Thermo Fisher's Clinical Vertical in the Genetic Sciences Division, as well as establishing the company's leadership position in COVID testing.

"I look forward to leading this accomplished team and tackling some of the most complex challenges in the industry while delivering high-quality engineering, design, testing, manufacturing and automation solutions at scale," Mr. Girdhar said. "With exceptional engineering teams from D&K Engineering, Korvis, NACS, Kinematic Automation and more under our umbrella, Ascential Medical & Life Sciences is the leader in providing end-to-end solutions in medical device and life sciences contract manufacturing and automation. As we further build upon the company's proven record and unique, specialized expertise, we will continue to provide unmatched value to our customers and propel the industry forward."

Prior to Thermo Fisher, Mr. Girdhar spent nine years at Baxter Healthcare, where he held multiple leadership positions including vice president of marketing for Clinical Nutrition and Fluid Systems businesses and led strategic initiatives for the Medication Delivery Division. He also has experience as a management consultant providing marketing, sales and strategy solutions to pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies.

"Anupam has an impressive background that combines technical and business expertise and a proven reputation in the medical and life sciences industry," said Jeff Moss, CEO of Ascential Technologies. "He is uniquely qualified to meet the evolving needs of our clients and navigate challenges within the industry. This hire is an investment in the long-term success of our business, and we are poised to emerge as the industry leader."

Ascential Medical & Life Sciences provides end-to-end capabilities for complex medical device assembly and total commercialization services from ideation to scaled manufacturing. The division's former interim president, Scott Watts, will be moving to Ascential Technologies' specialty industrial vertical to serve as its first divisional CEO.