STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, Chairman
Steve Schwartz serves as the Chairman of Bridge Executive Corporation™, providing strategic direction to the organization and access to top-tier executives and thought leaders in healthcare services and healthcare financing organizations. He also develops relationships with venture capital and private equity firms that specialize in the life sciences sector. Due to his extensive network of contacts in the healthcare industry, Mr. Schwartz identifies and develops high impact executives for the Bridge Executive Corporation™ Executive Talent Network.
With 25 years of experience as a CEO, Mr. Schwartz has successfully managed both public and private companies from start up through liquidity. These companies include ShiftWise, Renaissance Healthcare, Employee Managed Care Corp. (EMC2), American Health Ventures, and Bay Pacific Health Corporation. Mr. Schwartz holds an advanced degree from New York University and completed his undergraduate studies at Long Island University. Contact Steve at steve@bridgeexecutive.com.
ANTHONY V. PFANNKUCHE, CEO
Anthony V. Pfannkuche, Ph.D. is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bridge Executive Corporation™, and he has been responsible for the evolution of the business concept. He leads the Firm’s development activities, works with strategic partners, and has taken the lead in communicating the Bridge Executive Corporation™ concept to industry leaders, Corporate Boards, senior management and private equity firms.
Long associated with leadership issues in the healthcare industry, Tony has had a successful career as a healthcare executive in the investor-owned hospital industry and in healthcare financing. He was recognized as a creative leader in the Blue Cross Blue Shield network and he was the founder and CEO of California Care, the Blue Cross HMO, which grew to become one of the largest managed care organizations in the country. Subsequently, he was recruited to the retained executive search industry, joining one of the leading global firms, SpencerStuart. There, he became a Partner with the firm and co-founded SpencerStuart’s highly successful Life Sciences Practice. Prior to his career as a line executive, Mr. Pfannkuche was a Strategy Consultant and Project Manager with a major management consulting firm. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Chicago, with post-doctoral studies at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. Contact Tony at tony@bridgeexecutive.com.
WILLIAM (BILL) LEYHE, Principal
Bill Leyhe is a Principal with Bridge Executive Corporation™, responsible for developing and managing interim executive teams and operations/strategy management advisory engagements in the health services sector. Drawing on decades of line management experience in all aspects of single and multi-hospital operations, as well as physician group management, Mr. Leyhe provides clients with a range of expert services, including strategic positioning, operations improvement, revenue cycle management and acquisition/ joint venture/divestiture expertise. Mr. Leyhe was the Founder of The Peira Group, a highly regarded advisory service to the hospital and managed care industry, now affiliated with Bridge Executive Corporation™.
Prior to The Peira Group, and its predecessor organization, WSK Healthcare Solutions, a healthcare consulting firm,
Mr. Leyhe was a hospital executive and divisional development executive for the leading investor-owned hospital corporation, Tenet Healthcare, formerly National Medical Enterprises. He was the CEO of a number of Tenet/NME hospitals, Division Vice President for Development, and Corporate Vice President for Managed Care. A frequent spokesperson for the industry, Mr. Leyhe was Chairman of the Hospital Association of Southern California, Chairman of the Integrated Delivery Systems Association, and a member of the governing Board of the Federation of American Hospitals. Mr. Leyhe is a graduate of Cornell University and New York Institute of Technology. Contact Bill at bill@bridgeexecutive.com.
STEVE TURNER, Principal
Steve Turner is a Principal with Bridge Executive Corporation™ with primary responsibility for development and managing engagements in the post-acute sector of the healthcare provider continuum. Mr. Turner is a well-known and respected line executive and advisor to the post-acute industry, with many years experience in operations management, business development and strategic planning. He has served as CEO of acute-care hospitals and long-term acute hospitals and has led regional operations for multi-facility organizations in the long-term acute, sub-acute and skilled nursing sectors.
Prior to joining Bridge Executive Corporation™, Mr. Turner was a senior corporate executive with Kindred Healthcare, formerly Vencor. After serving as CEO of two of the company's facilities, he served for ten years as Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Executive Officer for the Company's West Region. Most recently, Mr. Turner was Kindred's Senior Vice President for Strategic Planning and Business Development for the Hospital Division. Previously, he was CEO of several acute-care hospitals operated by American Medical International. Mr. Turner holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Contact Steve at sturner@bridgeexecutive.com.
