Thomas L. Bell - President - Kansas Hospital Association
Tom Bell became president of the Kansas Hospital Association in January 2005. He began his career at KHA in 1986 as vice president and legal counsel after working as a health care attorney for the firm of Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds and Palmer. Mr. Bell is a native Kansan from Holton and graduated from Kansas State University Magna Cum Laude. He then went to law school at Washburn University, graduating Cum Laude.

Bob Meling - Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Bob is a native of central Illinois and holds Bachelors and Master's degrees in Industrial Engineering from Kettering University and the University of Iowa, respectively. Prior to his employment with APS in 1990, Bob completed twelve years as Vice President, Management Services at Riverside Medical Center, a 300-bed hospital in Kankakee, Illinois. Email

Linda Bailey - Administrative Assistant
Linda is a native of Missouri and is a graduate of the Kansas City Business College. She worked for eight years for a large retirement facility, as well as a laboratory equipment manufacturing corporation. She began working for the Kansas City Area Hospital Association in 1985 as Administrative Assistant, transferring to Associated Purchasing Services in 1992. Linda is responsible for management of the membership and Supplier databases, membership correspondence, and financial services. Email

Kathi Branyon – Division Manager – Client Services
Kathi holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Ottawa University – Ottawa, Kansas. Kathi came to APS with 18 years of experience in materials management, serving as Director of Materials Management at Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa, Kansas. Kathi is responsible for client services for facilities in and around Kansas City. Email

Jim Cook - Contract Manager
Jim is a native of Kansas City holds a Bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. Prior to joining APS, Jim served as Vice President of Technology Services for Child Health Corporation of America (CHCA) a Pediatric focused GPO. In addition, he has a background in several technology oriented startup enterprises. Jim is responsible for the APS Regional Contract Portfolio as well as developing relationships with emerging companies that can assist our member hospitals. Email

Amanda Dornon - Contract Manager, APS Staffing Services
Amanda is a native of the Kansas City area and holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Kansas.  Prior to joining APS in 2003, Amanda completed an internship at Van-Go, a non-profit organization in Lawrence, KS serving disadvantaged youth.  She assists in the development and management of the APS Staffing Program. Email

Bruce Frerking - Director of Client Services
Bruce holds a Bachelor's degree in Management and Human Resources from Mid-America Nazarene University, in Olathe Kansas. Bruce came to APS with over 20 years of Central Supply and Materials Management experience. Most recently he served as the Purchasing Manager for Olathe Medical Center. Bruce is responsible for client services for facilities in the Southern Kansas and Missouri areas. Email

Lisa Kidd – Division Manager – Engineering Services
Lisa comes to APS from Denver, Colorado, where she earned her certification as a Respiratory Therapist. After five years of hospital experience, she completed a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado. She applied her Respiratory Therapy background, as well as her Mechanical Engineering background, by directing a team in the research and development of respiratory medical and aircraft products at Puritan Bennett in Kansas City. Lisa maintains the APS Regional Contract Portfolio, specializing in the medical and natural gas programs. Email

Jan O’Brien – Division Manager – Staffing Services
Jan is a native of Kansas City, Missouri and is a graduate of the Arizona State University School of Nursing and Regent University Law School in Virginia. Prior to coming to APS, Jan worked for Healthcare Services Group as a clinical risk management consultant, providing risk assessments, education and consultation for healthcare facilities in Missouri and Kansas. Jan is responsible for the Staffing Program. Email

Gabriele Udell - MBA, Marketing Communications Manager
Gabriele previously served as Marketing Manager in the music division of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City. She has an undergraduate degree in English from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and a graduate degree in business from the University of Kansas. Gabriele manages APS-sponsored events, the APS family of web sites, email campaigns, and all promotional materials. Email

Ann Zielinski - MHSA, Director of Client Services
Ann manages the Emergency Preparedness & Safety Program, along with the development and maintenance of the APS Regional Contract Portfolio. Prior to APS, Ann was the Chief Operating Officer at a Critical Access Hospital in Northeast Kansas. She has also managed accounts receivable, quality improvement, and marketing efforts for a Durable Medical Equipment company. Ann earned two Bachelor's degrees in English & Education from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Masters in Health Service Administration from the University of Kansas. Email

 

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