HealthTeacher sales strategy

With U.S. school districts often too shakey to be relied upon for funding to buy HealthTeacher's goods and services, CEO Scott McQuigg (left) is driving a grassroots strategy for sustainable revenue. The story's here.

CFO departs ConnectivHealth

[corrected 10:15 a.m.] ConnectivHealth CEO Scott McQuigg says CFO Bob Kinard (at left) has left for what McQuigg described as another very attractive opportunity, which McQuigg said he was not at liberty to divulge. McQuigg said last week he has not decided whether or not to replace Kinard with a CFO. In February, ConnectivHealth announced it would concentrate solely on its HealthTeacher business. Kinard, who had been with ConnectivHealth more than two years, previously held a series of high-profile posts, including chief corporate development officer for Passport Health Communications, where he spent seven years; director of development for Phycor for 20 months; director of KPMG Health Ventures for nearly six years; plus, three years as an analyst with AmSouth Bank. Kinard earned his MBA at the University of Alabama and his finance degree at Florida State. Kinard also confirmed his departure, but declined at this time to comment on plans for his future career, which has been almost entirely in healthcare.

ConnectivHealth HealthTeacher adds advisor

Nashville-based ConnectivHealth, which we reported recently sold its VerusMed Division, has named Jon Vice (at left) senior adviser to the company's HealthTeacher division. Vice was previously CEO of Children's Hospital and Health System, Milwaukee. ConnectivHealth CEO Scott McQuigg said in an announcement today, “Jon has spent a lifetime dedicated to the improvement of children’s health, and we are honored to have him join HealthTeacher... Jon built one of the most respected pediatric medical centers in the country, and in doing so his organization developed many collaborative children’s health education programs with schools and community organizations. Jon brings a wealth of experience to HealthTeacher as a children’s hospital CEO, community leader, and advocate for children’s health.”

ConnectivHealth disconnects VerusMed

There must be an increasing premium placed upon the quality of "agility" among portfolio-company CEOs. As we report today, ConnectivHealth is divesting a long-standing product to a media agglomerator. Here's the story.

Capital ideas: Tennessee VC infrastructure

There are a number of new venture-capital and related initiatives afoot that deserve close attention: Obviously, the State pension plan's first-year authority to allocate something north of $750MM to private-equity investments is stunning. And, as we reported Friday, the strong capital-formation task force created by Tennessee Technology Development Corporation represents a real 'gathering of eagles'. There are other actors: In that same story yesterday, TTDC President Eric Cromwell indicated he's exploring an expanded role for Nashville Capital Network, an angel group that also has a sidecar investment fund. And, Nashville Technology Council's Tod Fetherling's public appearances make clear he hasn't lost any of his entrepreneurial spirit, in moving from ConnectivHealth to NTC.

Friday's fantasy healthcare media roll-up

Playing connect-the-dots has been a lifelong passion. Today, I'm thinking ConnectivHealth and DigiScript should sit down and talk. This was prompted partly by ConnectivHealth's release of a survey of what media physicians favor. True, the touted answers somewhat predictably point to ConnectivHealth's product portfolio, but that doesn't mean the results are invalid. So, as I got to imagining why docs wouldn't like getting info via a PDA -- maybe they've got too many gadgets and pagers on their belts, a'ready -- I thought of another local company, DigiScript, which happens to have filed for debtor-in-possession bankruptcy. ConnectivHealth uses its infomagic slicer and dicer to create trusted content streams. DigiScript offers training, event and rich-media services. Can either of these businesses scale profitably, without many more M&As and tranches than they've done?

ConnectivHealth pauses to refresh

ConnectivHealth may be pausing to refresh the organization, but odds are this roll-up intent holding company will be looking for more M&A action, as the environment settles down. Now that they've integrated Relegent and its branded products, and elevated Steve NeSmith (at left) to handle product-development, as well as technology, they'll need a few months to reduce the vibrations. Then, our guess, look for more acquisitions -- particularly, if the economy reduces the multiples sought by willing sellers. Today's update is here.

New president for Nashville Technology Council

Tod Fetherling (left), a prominent veteran of ConnectivHealth, HCA and other healthcare and technology ventures, was today named president of Nashville Technology Council, succeeding Jeff Costantine. He formed BlueDot, a health and wellness consultancy in July, after parting ways with ConnectivHealth. Fetherling served several years as VP-sales for First Consulting Group, and founded Relegent, which was acquired by ConnectivHealth in 2007. He has also served as director of interactive marketing for HCA, and in a variety of interactive-development roles with The Health Network. Fox Broadcasting and others. He attended the University of Tennessee and the College of Wooster (Ohio).