BEFORE JANUS

This time of year brings joy and gifts. January introduces a fresh new start, but December is reserved, not only for wrapping up gifts, but wrapping up thoughts and reflections on the past year.

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, and also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past. The month of January was named in honor of Janus by the Romans.

Before we face the realities January and a new year bring, I'd like to offer a gift of thanks for a mostly wonderful year at Shamrock Medical Solutions. We made new friends and customers, we hired some pretty great people and we had a year of solid growth.

That growth came with the help of good people, who we wish to acknowledge as the year closes out:

• In 2012 we were gifted with three new GPO contracts that include VHA/Novation, MedAssets and Amerinet. We're glad to have you on board!
• We hired two new sales executives. Derek Spencer is a wonderful entrepreneur and his company helped us with some innovative telemarketing strategies. He's an International Politics graduate of Kent State University in Ohio. Chris Shibley was hired this year, too. Chris has an extensive background in hospital and long-term care administration, and is also a member of the Villages of Marymount. Both have added a comprehensive depth of strategic business smarts to our growing team.
• We added two new board members to our leadership team. Joe Langhenry recently sold his award winning business, Watteredge, LLC, (Cleveland OH) which earned its third Best Workplace designation in a recent competition conducted by Workplace Dynamics, Inc (WDI) under the sponsorship of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Rich Marrapese formerly was national director of health care for global accounting firm Ernst & Young. He spent more than 30 years as a national partner for the firm, mostly in Cleveland, OH, where he worked with several of the nation's largest academic medical centers. He also served as chairman of the National Principles and Practices Board of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and as a board member for the National Committee for Quality Health Care. More recently, Rich was the interim CFO of University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH.

It's easy to be optimistic about 2013 with all the wonderful progress we've made in 2012. But we're not going to rest on our laurels. You can be assured that we will strive in 2013, as always, to be among the finest health care partners our health centers and pharmacists choose to work with. Good cheer to all!

Here's to better solutions, 

Dave Bystrom