Speaker Biographies

Melissa Amell

Melissa Amell is the Director of Material Management Information Services (MMIS), Measurement and Value Analysis for St. Thomas Health Services (STHS) in Nashville, Tennessee (a member of Ascension Health). She spearheads the Value Analysis efforts for St. Thomas Health Services and plays a role in the Value Analysis efforts for Ascension Health - a 63 national hospital system. Amell also held the position of Manager of Material Management for AmSurg, a national for profit outpatient surgery management company. She has worked on many GPO and distribution conversions along with the STHS ERP implementation to Lawson. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Human Resources from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, Tenessee.

Brian Mikel, MBA, CIA, CISA

Brian Mikel is the Materials Management Director for St. Thomas Health Services (STHS) in Nashville, Tennessee (a member of Ascension Health). Mikel worked for Catholic Healthcare Audit Network prior to joining STHS’ four-hospital system located in the middle of Tennessee. He also worked as a Senior Manager with HCA’s IT Audit group and traveled extensively across the country performing IT audits within the organization’s 200 hospitals. In addition, Mikel has worked on two Lawson ERP implementations, the first while at HCA – as an IT auditor, and the second at STHS – as the materials management implementation lead. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Indiana University, Ft. Wayne, Indiana and an MBA from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.

David M. Zimba, MHA, FACHE

David M. Zimba has served as vice president for Corporate Contracting of the West Penn Allegheny Health System (“WPAHS”) since December 1999. During his tenure, Zimba has directed the organization’s supply chain transformation through the implementation of e-sourcing, e-procurement, and e-materials. These initiatives have resulted in annual recurring supply chain cost reductions in excess of $75 million and 98% customer satisfaction.

Since 2004, the WPAHS supply chain has ranked among the best by Hospital Purchasing News and FirstMoves. In 2007, WPAHS received Premier’s Supply Chain Innovation Award for its introduction of the reverse auction process. In 2007, two WPAHS hospitals received Premier’s Supply Chain Performance Excellence Awards.  In 2007, WPAHS received an Achievement Award for Innovation from the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania for introducing the grocery-store model of supply distribution and replenishment to healthcare.

In 2006, Zimba was named the Most Wired Supply Chain Innovator by Materials Management in Healthcare. In 2006, Mr. Zimba was named one of the top 10 people to watch by The Journal of Healthcare Contracting. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and received a Masters degree in hospital administration from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University. Zimba is also a 1990 graduate of Leadership Miami (Florida). 

Jerry Maki

Jerry Maki was appointed in January, 2007 to Vice President-Clinical Services at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Stanford, California. He has responsibility for cardiovascular services, neurosciences, transplantation services, imaging, clinical laboratories, medical records and the operating rooms. These clinical service areas include over 1400 FTEs and almost $300 Million in annual expenditures. Maki also is leading a multi-million dollar non-labor expense reduction initiative at Stanford, has extensive experience as a senior executive through positions in the Midwest and Southwest, and has provided interim leadership at two organizations.

Maki has a Master of Hospital Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Ryan D. Siemers, MPH

Ryan Siemers is a Manager in the Health Industries Advisory practice and is part of the Performance Improvement team based in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Chicago office. He has over seven years of healthcare consulting experience specializing in supply chain redesign, process improvement and cost reductions initiatives. His professional expertise includes managing projects in cost reduction, strategic sourcing, product standardization and utilization management, Supply Chain performance improvement, distributor and group purchasing organization (GPO) selection and optimization, and contract management. 

Siemers has a Master of Public Health degree with concentration in Health Policy and Management with additional coursework in International Health, Emory University. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Life Sciences from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Todd Brandt

Todd Brandt is the Unit Head for the Logistics Distribution Center at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota with responsibility for over 60 staff and over $90 million in yearly business. The distribution center is a 60,000 sq/ft facility supporting 1500 inpatient hospital beds, outpatient clinical practice, supporting clinical labs and extensive research areas. He was responsible in implementing the first low unit measure program to support a 1000-bed inpatient hospital practice in Rochester. By changing the warehouse to a distribution center inventory was reduced by over $3 million. Brandt is currently working on obtaining a degree in Supply Chain Management and anticipates having it complete in 2008.

Tom Stewart, MBA, CMA

Tom Stewart is a Finance Manager in Materials Management at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. He manages 12 financial analysts supporting supply chain operations in Rochester's Patient Care and Research shields. Prior to joining Materials Management, Stewart was a Finance Manager in the Revenue cycle over Hospital and Clinic Admissions. He was also a financial analyst at Mayo Clinic. Stewart has been at the Mayo Clinic for over seven years, and also has 13 years of experience in various management and analytical roles at IBM. His educational experience is a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and he holds an MBA. He is also a Certified Management Accountant.

William Stitt, CMRP, FAHRMM, CHL, CRCST, CPHM

William Stitt is the Corporate Director of Materials Management for University Community Health, a four-hospital IDN located in Tampa, Florida with responsibility for all supply chain functions. Bill holds five national certifications in materials management to include Certified Materials Resource Professional and Fellow status with the Association of Healthcare Resource and Materials Management. He is a published author and frequent speaker on a wide range of supply chain topics to include contract management, supply cost benchmarking, and healthcare construction. Stitt currently serves on the AHRMM Board as the Region 5 Representative.