Sami S. Abbasi,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Sami S. Abbasi leads National Surgical Care as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to National Surgical Care, Mr. Abbasi served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Radiologix, Inc., a leading national provider of diagnostic imaging services. Mr. Abbasi co-founded Radiologix in 1996 and was instrumental in building the company from a creative idea to one of the nation’s leading providers of diagnostic imaging services. He led Radiologix through its initial public offering in November 1997 and its sale to RadNet, Inc. in November 2006.

Mr. Abbasi previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Adminiquest, Inc., a web-enabled, full-service outsourcing solutions provider to the insurance and benefits industry. Mr. Abbasi also was a Vice President in the Health Care Group of Robertson Stephens, Inc., with responsibility for investment banking business development and the execution of a broad range of corporate finance transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he has held various positions at Citigroup Inc., including Vice President and Senior Industry Analyst in the Health Care Group.

Mr. Abbasi earned an MBA degree from the University of Rochester and a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Richard D. Pence,
President and Chief Operating Officer
Richard Pence leads the development and management of National Surgical Care’s surgery centers. Before co-founding NSC, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MAGELLA Healthcare, a national group of perinatal health care providers. Mr. Pence also served as Chief Operating Officer for National Surgery Centers and as Controller and Vice President for Medical Care International. A certified public accountant, he is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Commerce and earned a M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University.

Letitia D. Bonthron, Corporate Controller
Letitia Bonthron oversees accounting, reporting and financial analysis for National Surgical Care. Ms. Bonthron was previously Corporate Controller of Worldport Communications, Inc., a publicly traded web hosting company that operated data centers in the U.K., Ireland and Germany. She also served as Controller of USN Communications, Inc., a publicly traded telecommunications company, and as an audit manager with Deloitte & Touche, LLP. A certified public accountant, Ms. Bonthron earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in accounting from the University of South Florida.

Alan C. Hale,
Vice President, Development
Alan Hale, a member of the development team, is responsible for the expansion of National Surgical Care’s network of surgery centers. Before joining National Surgical Care, Mr. Hale founded and served as President of Strategic Growth Solutions, Inc., an independent consulting company focused on assisting healthcare organizations to develop, pursue, and achieve their long-term growth strategies. Mr. Hale previously served as Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for the Surgery Center Division of Universal Health Services, Inc. focusing on the acquisition and development of ambulatory surgery centers in joint venture partnerships with physicians. Mr. Hale earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Atlantic Christian College in North Carolina.

Shannon Blakeley,
Vice President, Operations
Shannon Blakeley works closely with National Surgical Care centers on business development, physician recruitment, financial management, operations and human resources issues from his base in California. Before joining NSC, Mr. Blakeley was a Vice President at HealthSouth Corporation where he created a continuum of care model for HealthSouth’s outpatient services, which included outpatient surgery centers, diagnostic facilities, physical therapy clinics and occupational medicine sites. He is a board member of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association (CASA) and previously served on various sports medicine teams for professional and college athletic organizations. Mr. Blakeley earned a bachelor’s degree from Chico State University.

Terry Hawes,
Vice President, Operations
Terry Hawes works closely with National Surgical Care centers on business development, physician recruitment, financial management, operations and human resources issues and is the Executive Director of Overlake Surgery Center in Bellevue, Washington. Ms. Hawes is a board member and past president of the Freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center Association of Washington State (FASCAWS) and past president of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association (CASA). She is a registered nurse and earned a bachelor’s degree in health services administration from Saint Mary’s College in Orinda, California.

Michael Urbach,
Vice President, Operations
Michael Urbach works closely with the Company’s centers to enhance their business through physician recruitment, financial management, operations improvement and human resources optimization.

Prior to joining NSC, Mr. Urbach served as Vice President of Operations with USMD, Inc., a medical management and managed care services organization located in Irving, Texas. In his position, Urbach was effective in increasing market share by establishing new service lines, enhancing the quality of operations through the implementation of productivity standards, and improving operating margins for patient and physician satisfaction scores. Before that, Urbach worked as Senior Vice President with Universal Health Services and was responsible for Universal’s Surgery Center Division. He earned his master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and his bachelor’s from the University of Texas in Austin.

Bruce Bardall, Regional Director
Bruce Bardall is responsible for National Surgical Care’s inventory management and training. Previously, Mr. Bardall was Regional Vice President with Symbion Healthcare and served as an administrator in several surgery centers. He is a board member of the Ohio Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (OAASC). Mr. Bardall earned his AAS in nursing from Ohio University, a BSN from Capital University and a master’s in administration from Central Michigan University.

Steven Blom, Regional Director
Steven Blom is a Regional Director for National Surgical Care and is the Executive Director of Specialty Surgery Center in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Blom previously served as the Director of Cardiovascular Services at Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio and worked in a progression of nursing management positions with the Methodist Healthcare System. He is a registered nurse and earned a BSN from U.T. Health Science Center and a master’s in health services management from Webster University.

Robert Cates, National Director of Managed Care
Robert Cates is responsible for supporting National Surgical Cares network of surgery centers in the area of managed care. Mr. Cates brings more than 20 years of managed care and insurance experience to the company. Prior to coming to National Surgical Care, he served as Vice President of Provider Relations and Contracting with Texas True Choice, a state wide provider network. He also served as National Director of Managed Care for Radiologix, a national provider of diagnostic imaging services and, as Director of Provider Relations and Contracting for PCA Health Plans of Texas and AmeriHealth.

Cliff Parker, Director of Logistics
Cliff Parker, Director of Logistics, oversees National Surgical Care’s supply chain management processes and helps guide the organization’s capital equipment purchasing decisions. Cliff joins NSC from The Heart Place, a multi-site cardiology practice in Dallas. As Director of Operations, Cliff was responsible for overseeing more than 10 sites in the Dallas area. Before his time with Heart Place, Cliff was a materials manager at a surgery center in Dallas. Cliff received his formal training in healthcare materials management from the U.S. Army.

Scott McElwee, Director of Sales and Marketing
Scott McElwee works closely with National Surgical Care’s centers to increase case volume by adding new surgeons and by building long-term relationships with current physicians. Prior to joining NSC, McElwee was part of Globus Medical, the world's largest privately held spinal implant company.  As an integral part of the Globus spine team, he was responsible for integrating cutting edge spinal technology into surgical facilities. McElwee has ten years OR experience and has extensive knowledge regarding both clinical and operational issues surrounding surgical facilities. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University.

Ben Tarble, Director of Sales and Marketing
Ben Tarble works directly with NSC’s centers to increase case volume by developing strong relationships with current surgeons and their staff.  He also recruits new physicians from various specialties.  Before joining National Surgical Care, Ben was a sales rep for Depuy Johnson & Johnson, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of orthopedic implants. He also worked for Weatherby Locums, a leader in the recruitment and placement of physicians and surgeons throughout the country.  Ben has more than four years of experience in the OR setting and a valuable understanding of recruiting new physicians.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Central Florida.

E. Timothy Geary,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Geary is a co-founder of National Surgical Care. He is a leading healthcare executive with more than 20 years of senior-level experience in the outpatient surgery center industry and was a co-founder, Chairman and CEO of National Surgery Centers until its sale in 1998. At that time, National Surgery Centers was the nation's largest publicly traded surgery center company, operating 42 surgery centers in 14 states. Prior to that Mr. Geary was a Vice President with Medical Care International responsible for operations, de novo development and hospital joint ventures. He holds A.B. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Chicago.

Richard D. Pence,
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Pence is a co-founder of National Surgical Care. He was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MAGELLA Healthcare, a national group of perinatal health care providers, where he was responsible for operations with revenues of $120 million. Prior to that, he was Chief Operating Officer for National Surgery Centers, where he was responsible for over 20 sites with annual revenues in excess of $50 million. He has also served as Controller, then Vice President, for Medical Care International for nine years, with responsibility for managed care marketing, insurance and operating systems. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Commerce and received his M.B.A. at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Pence is a certified public accountant.

Gregory R. Cunniff,
Vice President, Finance and Treasurer
Mr. Cunniff was previously Vice President and Treasurer of United Medical Corporation, a privately held for-profit company comprising 10 hospitals and other healthcare related properties with annual revenues in excess of $200 million. Prior to his tenure at United Medical, he served as the Western Chief Financial Officer of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for HCA Healthcare Corporation. Mr. Cunniff has served on the Board of Governors of the Federation of American Hospitals, as well as the steering committee for the Healthcare Financing Committee. A CPA, he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

Shannon Blakeley,
Vice President
Mr. Blakeley was previously a Vice President with HealthSouth Corporation, overseeing surgery center operations and business development in California, Hawaii and Nevada, including new program development, physician recruitment and partnership opportunities. He was also responsible for developing a continuum of care model for HealthSouth’s outpatient services including outpatient surgery centers, diagnostic facilities, physical therapy clinics and occupational medicine sites. Prior to that, Mr. Blakeley served on various sports medicine teams for professional and college athletic organizations. He received a B.A. in Physical Education from Chico State University. Mr. Blakeley currently sits on the board of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association.

Terry Hawes,
Vice President
Ms. Hawes has been in the ASC industry since 1977 in freestanding, corporate-owned and hospital-based ASCs. She is a board member and past president of the Freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center Association of Washington State (FASCAWS) and past president of California Ambulatory Surgery Association (CASA). In addition to her regional responsibilities, Ms. Hawes is the Executive Director of Overlake Surgery Center in Bellevue, WA. She is a RN with a B.A. in Health Services Administration from Saint Mary's College in Orinda, California.

Susan R. Hollander,
Vice President
Prior to joining NSC, Ms. Hollander served as an Assistant Operating Officer for Duke University Health System, where she developed and operated the ASC for this academic medical center, managed a second community-based ASC and a lithotripsy center, and had hospital administration accountabilities. She spent five years with National Surgery Centers, first as a Regional Director of Operations, then as Regional Director of Development. Ms. Hollander served nine years on the FASA Board of Directors, chairing such committees as the state association committee and the recovery care center committee. She has been an AAAHC surveyor since 1996 and is a certified healthcare executive with fellowship status through ACH. Ms. Hollander earned her B.S. in Nursing at Slippery Rock University and her M.B.A. at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dawn Q. McLane-Kinzie,
Vice President
Ms. McLane-Kinzie previously served as Executive Director for Allied Physicians Surgery Center in South Bend, Indiana, and was the Clinical Director for RiverPointe Surgery Center in Elkhart, Indiana. She has been an AAAHC surveyor since 2000, a member of AORN since 1985 and a member of FASA since 1996. She currently serves on FASA's HIPAA Task Force and was a speaker at FASA’s annual meeting and its HIPAA conference. Ms. McLane-Kinzie has participated in numerous articles that have appeared in a variety of professional journals and recently published her first book, “Scheduling Strategies for Ambulatory Surgery Centers.” She earned her diploma in nursing from Memorial Hospital of South Bend and her Masters of Science in Administration from the School of Business at the University of Notre Dame.

Bryan R. Smith,
Vice President
Mr. Smith was previously Vice President of Business Development for Specialty Surgicenters, Inc., a privately held surgery center development and management company. As an initial member of the executive management team, he helped grow the business from $500K in net revenue in 1998 to over $30M in 2003. He was responsible for organizing physician partnerships, new center development and surgery center operations. Prior to that, Mr. Smith was Director of Marketing and National Accounts for Dornier Medical Systems, an $80M German medical device manufacturer, where he was responsible for product development, marketing and communications, and sales. Mr. Smith received a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Science Engineering from Oregon State University and an M.B.A. from Wake Forest University.

Bryan L. Burgett,
Vice President, Corporate Development
Mr. Burgett was previously Vice President, Business Development and General Counsel for HearUSA, Inc., a publicly traded company and the largest hearing care services provider in North America. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Venture Manager in Kaiser Permanente’s corporate venture department. Mr. Burgett also worked in healthcare management consulting for several years, assisting physicians and hospitals in various business transactions. He is a licensed attorney and holds a law degree from DePaul University and a B.A. degree from Northern Illinois University.

Bruce Bardall,
Regional Director
Mr. Bardall was previously a Regional Vice President with Symbion Healthcare and has served as an administrator in several surgery centers. He is a member of AORN and Ohio Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers where he serves on the Board of Directors and was the chair of the Government Affairs Committee. Mr. Bardall has extensive experience in JCAHO and AAAHC accreditation for ambulatory surgery centers. He earned his AAS in Nursing from Ohio University, a BSN from Capital University and his Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University.

Kim L. Fisher,
Regional Director
Ms. Fisher has numerous years of management experience in the healthcare field. She spent over four years with HealthSouth, first as a Business Office Manager in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area then as Administrator in the Arkansas market. Prior to working with HealthSouth, she was involved in the management of an ASC in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the opening of an endoscopy center, both with Columbia/HCA. Ms. Fisher has numerous years of legal and financial institution management experience. She previously served on the Arkansas Ambulatory Surgery Association board and is currently a member of the Washington and Oregon state organizations. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Health Administration from Beinville University.

Susan Wallick,
Director of Business Office Services
Ms. Wallick is responsible for supervision and oversight of the business office functions for centers located in the western half of the country. She has extensive knowledge of the SurgiSource and Prescient software packages and brings valuable experience to our centers in the form of training and troubleshooting along with system set up and configuration. Ms. Wallick previously served as an Assistant Director of Operations for Woodrum ASD, where she was responsible for ASC Business Office development and management.

Tina Wright,
Director of Business Office Services
Ms. Wright has extensive use and knowledge of Surgicenter Information Systems (SIS) and Prescient software and is responsible for supervision and oversight of the business office functions for centers located in the eastern half of the country. Previously she spent six years with Specialty Surgicenters, Inc., as the Business Office Director implementing and running an ASC centralized billing office that performed all billing, collection and coding functions for six ASCs.

Letitia D. Bonthron,
Corporate Controller
Ms. Bonthron was previously Corporate Controller of Worldport Communications, Inc., a U.S. publicly traded web hosting company that operated data centers in the U.K., Ireland and Germany. Prior to her tenure at Worldport, she served as Controller of USN Communications, Inc., a publicly traded telecommunications company, and as an audit manager with Deloitte & Touche, LLP. A CPA, Ms. Bonthron received a B.S. in Accounting and a Masters in Accountancy from the University of South Florida.

Lisa Freeman,
Marketing and Business Development
Ms. Freeman coordinates NSC’s marketing efforts and provides business development services and support. She earned her Bachelor's in Business Administration from California State University in Fullerton after which she earned her CPA working for Coopers & Lybrand. She has held several Controller positions in private industry, most recently at Aspen Healthcare, Inc.