Introducing the Access Group and Its New Business Entities

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Access Group--a leading health care communications network--unveiled a newly aligned organizational structure; the formation of 2 business entities, Promidian and Strategic Selling Solutions (S3); and the acquisition of 14 senior executive team leaders.

The Access Group was formed to fill the need in the health care and life sciences industries to provide full-service strategy and communications capabilities to its client partners across all spectrums of promotion, marketing, strategy, training, and medical education.

"Today, we're announcing the formation of the Access Group as a fully integrated network of business entities to serve the strategic and tactical communications needs of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries as they manage their products' lifecycles from pipeline to commercialization to loss of exclusivity," said Dave Gagliano, President and CEO. "This expansion represents historical growth for our firm, not only in our organizational structure and market positioning, but also with the launch of 2 strategic business entities that represent areas of intense focus exhibited by our client partners--life sciences strategic consultancy and sales- and business-acumen training. With these 2 additions, along with our extensive 14-year payer channel expertise, we are truly committed to complete lifecycle management."

The Access Group is the network organization for 7 distinct business entities, the newest of which are Promidian and S3.

• Promidian is a management consulting firm that is focused on the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences industries. Promidian combines deep industry and functional area knowledge with specialized expertise in market assessment, analytics, and strategy development to assist life sciences executives in addressing their most pressing business challenges. Promidian works with clients to increase value across the product lifecycle and to understand and address the strategic, tactical, and operational implications of the rapidly evolving--and increasingly complex--market dynamics facing pharmaceutical and biotech companies today

• S3 was founded on the continuous organic requests by clients of the Access Group's managed markets entities to provide quality insight and guidance to help them meet sales training return-on-investment challenges. With this solid foundation in managed markets, S3 provides specialized strategic consulting to advance managed markets excellence. S3 employs multifaceted, stimulating adult-learning approaches to turn perceived managed markets barriers into opportunities for actionable, strategic execution within all payer channels

The Access Group Announces the Addition of 14 Executive Staff Members

As part of its new organizational structure, the Access Group is pleased to announce the addition of 14 senior employees to serve in various executive and leadership positions for entities that comprise the firm in addition to Promidian and S3, namely Access Communications, Fusion Medical Communications, and MedAccess. These new hires bring to the Access Group extensive leadership, consulting, marketing and account management experience gained from their careers at pharmaceutical, biotechnology, strategic consulting, health care agency, and investment organizations. Collectively, their expertise spans multiple core disciplines, including business development, brand marketing strategy, clinical, health economics and outcomes research, payer, training, labor union relations, and finance.

"The professionals joining the Access Group are a highly talented group of leaders who will be a tremendous asset to our firm," stated Gagliano. "We maintain committed to continually expanding our strategic depth, clinical expertise, and executable capabilities to deliver unparalleled service to our pharmaceutical and biotech partners as they meet the continuing challenges of health care reform and managing their products' lifecycles."

The latest Access Group staff appointments are as follows:

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Promidian

• Kevin Barnett, Executive Vice President and Managing Director
  • Fifteen-year veteran as a strategic advisor to leading life sciences companies, with executive roles at Leerink Swann and Campbell Alliance. In addition, Kevin brings to Promidian extensive pharmaceutical industry experience from various commercial roles with The Upjohn Company
• Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMD, Chief Medical Officer
  • Former Health Policy Scholar for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, with more than a decade of experience as a medical director for various provider and payer organizations. In his role as a practicing fellowship-trained geriatric physician, Dr. Stefanacci specializes in medication management and long-term care. In addition, Dr. Stefanacci maintains an academic appointment in Health Policy at USciences in Philadelphia
• Allen Su, Manager
  • Several years of experience as a strategic consultant in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries; previously held consulting roles with Leerink Swann and Charles River Associates

S3

• Steven Shuck, Director, Training and Development
  • Former Senior Manager for Commercial Training for sanofi-aventis US, with more than 10 years of sales and skills training, managed markets, and specialty sales management experience

Access Communications

• George Brown, PhD, Senior Medical Director
  • Previously Vice President and Director of Scientific and Editorial Services at Complete Medical Communications, with more than 15 years of combined medical education and academic experience in leadership management and communications strategies
• Terri O'Gorman, Executive Vice President, Business Development
  • More than 20 years of pharmaceutical sales and marketing experience across multiple health care channels and disciplines. Led and managed brands for large, medium, and small biopharmaceutical companies and a large pharmacy benefit manager
• David P. Murphy, Senior Vice President, Business Development
  • Twenty years of marketing and sales leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors on both the industry and agency sides of the business, including Parke-Davis, Pfizer Inc., Genzyme Corporation, and MC Communications (Pri-Med)
• Sherri Chenevert, Vice President, Client Strategy
  • Previously Regional Sales Director of Corporate & Government Customers for Pfizer Inc., with pharmaceutical expertise that spans more than 15 years in the areas of sales, sales management, training, operations, and marketing
• Keith Maley, Vice President, Labor Union Relations
  • More than 25 years as a labor union benefits manager and administrator, as well as former Financial Advisor at MetLife with extensive insurance industry experience

Fusion Medical Communications

• Charles Collins, Vice President, Client Strategy
  • More than 20 years of pharmaceutical career experience, with more than 12 years of managed markets expertise in account management, training, and marketing.  Most recently with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. as Associate Director, Hypertension Franchise Marketing--Managed Markets for a leading antihypertensive agent

San Diego, California

MedAccess

• Joseph Doyle, RPh, Senior Vice President, Business Development
  • Veteran executive with 30 years of global/US experience in strategy, management, marketing, advertising, and sales in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical technology industries, serving in senior leadership positions at GSW Worldwide, MedErgy HealthGroup, and 1Health Communications       
• Gicell Schaenzler, Vice President, Client Strategy
  • More than 14 years of experience in strategic and tactical marketing and management, most recently as Vice President, Account Group Supervisor, for RCW McCann Healthcare, where she managed a key surgical product for obesity
• Eric Schramm, Vice President, Group Account Supervisor
  • Former Account Group Supervisor at Regan Campbell Ward, a division of McCann – Erickson Healthcare Worldwide, with more than 11 years of experience in health care marketing and communications, including account management and strategic brand development

The Access Group

• Michael Cirincione, Director of Finance
  • Former Corporate Accounting Manager at Dow Jones and Company, with more than 15 years of diversified corporate and divisional accounting experience

About the Access Group

The Access Group is the leading, independent strategic health care communications network comprised of 7 distinct companies--Access Communications, Catalyst, Fusion Medical Communications, MedAccess, Promidian, S3, and StrataMed. The firm employs more than 130 health care marketing specialists and senior leadership with experience in strategic consulting, medical education, marketing communications, managed markets, training, and brand promotion.

The Access Group is headquartered in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, with offices in Chicago and San Diego. To learn more about our firm, please visit www.theaccessgp.com or contact Dave Gagliano, President and CEO, at (908) 508-6712.

SOURCE The Access Group