Kurt A. Barwis, FACHE, is the President and CEO of Bristol Hospital and Health Care Group, and he is Governor-Elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Barwis has more than 30 years of management and leadership experience in community hospitals, management consulting and entrepreneurial business environments. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s of Business Administration Degree in Finance from LaSalle University. Barwis was a licensed certified public accountant from 1999 to 2007 and is a registered Connecticut lobbyist. Prior to joining Bristol Hospital in 2006, Barwis was the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of St. Mary’s Hospital of St. Mary’s County, Leonardtown, MD. He also served as the System Vice President of Managed Care and Business Development at Union Hospital in Elkton, MD.
Richard A. Braam, CPA, MBA, is the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Bristol Hospital and Health Care Group.. Braam oversees all accounting and financial operations for Bristol Hospital and Health Care Group as well as managed care, revenue cycle, information systems, purchasing and materials management. Prior to Bristol Hospital, Braam worked at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown, MD, where he served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Braam also served for more than eight years in the United States Air Force. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland and received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Baltimore. Braam is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Thomas Roche is the Senior Construction and Project Manager for Bristol Hospital and Health Care Group. Most recently, Roche managed Bristol Hospital’s Energy Efficiency Upgrade Project, and he also is overseeing the upcoming renovation of the Hospital’s Emergency Center. Roche also is a part of the design team for Bristol Hospital’s new 60,000-square-foot Medical Care Center which is scheduled to open in downtown Bristol in the spring of 2019. Prior to coming to Bristol Hospital, Roche was the Senior Project Manager at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Roche received his Master’s Degree in Management from Albertus Magnus College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics/Finance from Quinnipiac University. He also has a Certificate of Construction Management, and a Certificate for Managing Healthcare Facility Design and Constructions Programs from the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Matt Menard is a Senior Account Executive for TRANE, a world leader in air conditioning systems, building services and solutions. Menard and his team focus on developing and implementing commercial construction projects that are often driven by energy efficiency. Over the past nine years, the Connecticut TRANE team has successfully completed $65 million in projects yielding $15 million in utility incentives and $6 million in annual energy savings. With 18 years of experience in various sales and marketing roles, Menard brings a wealth of knowledge in commercial construction, building operations and energy efficiency. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Connecticut Association of Healthcare Executives (CTAHE) represents professionals who manage the business affairs of healthcare organizations throughout the state. CTAHE is committed to healthcare leadership and advancing health for all.
Our CTAHE membership strives to be inclusive of all healthcare interested parties, including hospitals, health plans, health systems, independent physician associations, industry partners, and our universities that are educating our future healthcare administrators.
The Connecticut Association of Healthcare Executives (CTAHE) is a chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, which you can read more about below.
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE offers its prestigious FACHE® credential, signifying board certification in healthcare management.
ACHE’s established network of 80 chapters provides access to networking, education and career development at the local level. In addition, ACHE is known for its magazine, Healthcare Executive, and its career development and public policy programs. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its goal of being the premier professional society for healthcare executives dedicated to improving healthcare delivery.
The Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives was established to further advance healthcare management excellence through education and research. The Foundation of ACHE is known for its educational programs—including the annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership, which draws more than 4,000 participants—and groundbreaking research.
Its publishing division, Health Administration Press, is one of the largest publishers of books and journals on health services management including textbooks for college and university courses. For more information about ACHE, click here.