Iconic San Francisco Brewery 21st Amendment Brews Craft Hard SeltzerWith the Spirit of San Francisco in Every Sip Brewmaster Shaun O'Sullivan Utilizes Grain-Based Natural Fermentation Process For Lineup of SOMA Hard Seltzers with 100 Calories, 2g Carbs, 0g Sugar, and 4.6% ABV
San Francisco, Calif. -- Friday, January 22, 2021 -- San Francisco is renowned for empowering originality. The South of Market (SoMA) district, a mix of urban grit and stunning sightlines of the San Francisco Bay, is also the home to the 21st Amendment Brewery's beloved 2nd Street brewpub. Founders Nico Freccia and Shaun O'Sullivan pay homage to SoMA and the restless creativity bustling at all corners of the City (and urban meccas nationwide) with the spring 2021 national release of handcrafted seltzers for free-spirited individuals living life against the grain: SOMA Hard Seltzer (100 calories, 2g carbs, 0g sugar, 4.6% ABV). Masterminds of beloved fruit beers (i.e. Hell or High Watermelon), the 21st Amendment's SOMA Hard Seltzer carries on their infatuation with watermelon and other enticing flavors such as Black Cherry, Guava & Passion Fruit, and Mango. Shaun O'Sullivan (Co-Founder and Brewmaster) brews the new line of seltzers with their craft roots front and center and with the same level of innovation as their acclaimed beer portfolio. "Brewed to strength, we're using a natural fermentation of grain-based sugars and champagne yeast for our seltzers, which really shows our dedication to the handcrafted nature of SOMA. For six months, we brewed small batches to get the flavors correct. SOMA Hard Seltzer is NOT made with neutral spirits, and then diluted with water. Many hard seltzers made that way have a metallic and artificial taste. When you crack open a can of SOMA Hard Seltzer, you can taste the hard work that's gone into each distinct flavor," says Shaun O'Sullivan, Co-Founder and Brewmaster. SOMA Hard Seltzer has skyrocketed to the #1 Selling Craft Seltzer in Major Northern California Grocery Chains (Nielsen) since its exclusive release to the Northern California marketplace in June 2020. The hard seltzer category finished 2020 up 155% (Goldman Sachs) with projected $2.7 billion (Nielsen) in sales. SOMA Hard Seltzer will be available in 6-packs as well as 12-can variety packs in all 32 states where 21st Amendment distributes. For more information and to find some using their beer finder, please visit www.21st-Amendment.com. For more information, please visit:www.21st-amendment.com21st-amendment.com/beers/soma-seltzer@21stAmendment
About 21st Amendment BreweryTwenty years ago (established in 2000), Nico Freccia and Shaun O'Sullivan opened the doors to the 21st Amendment brewpub in San Francisco's historic South Park neighborhood. In addition to quickly becoming one of the city's favorite pubs, 21st Amendment began expanding beyond the Bay Area by helping to pioneer the movement to canned craft beer. Known for their witty names and delicious brews, 21st Amendment offers year-round selections, as well as seasonal offerings and limited-edition releases. Sold in 32 states plus Washington D.C., 21st Amendment produces beer in its state-of-the-art brewery headquarters in San Leandro, California and is among the top 50 craft beer brewers in America.
BirchBioMed Inc. Announces Positive Topline Data from Phase 2 Study of FS2 for Treatment of Keloid Scars
Topical FS2 shows statistically significant improvement versus the market leader
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - BirchBioMed Inc., a clinical-stage immunology company focused on the prevention and reduction of immunological fibrotic conditions and defects in the immune system, has announced statistically significant, positive results of a double-blind study into the safety and efficacy of topical FS2 in the treatment of keloid scars. FS2, the active ingredient in BirchBioMed's FS2 cream, has been shown to inhibit the formation of collagen, which is the major component of scars.
"The study definitively shows that FS2 has significant efficacy on mature keloid scars as compared not only to the vehicle control but to an active scar treatment (Mederma)," said Dr. Mark Nestor, M.D., Ph.D., the study's principal investigator and director of the Center for Clinical and Cosmetic Research in Aventura, Florida. "Showing significant benefit on mature keloid scars points to significant efficacy for the treatment of hypertrophic scars as well as cosmetic benefit to all post-surgical scars."
The prospective randomized double-blind trial compared the safety and efficacy of topical FS2 versus the market leading scar cream (Mederma) and a vehicle (placebo cream) in the treatment of mature keloids in 75 subjects. Trial participants were evaluated using both the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS).
The percentage change in VSS scores for FS2 showed a statistically significant improvement when compared to Mederma (p<0.001) and versus vehicle (p<0.05) at the conclusion of the 180-day trial.
Secondary data analysis using POSAS showed dramatic patient satisfaction with FS2 patients scoring a 51% improvement with FS2 versus Mederma's 28% (p<0.05) and vehicle 20% (p<0.01). Neither Mederma nor vehicle showed statistically significant improvement according to the subjects' evaluations.
"Subjects using FS2 graded the improvement in their scar greater than Mederma and vehicle at every time point culminating in highly significant differences at 180 days," said Dr. Nestor. "This signifies that it wasn't only the appearance of the keloid scar that changed over time with FS2 but more fundamentally the way the subject globally felt about the improvement. Furthermore, there were no safety concerns noted and no significant local skin reactions observed."
As BirchBioMed's lead antifibrotic platform therapy, FS2 acts at the molecular level by reducing production of two primary extracellular scar-forming proteins (collagen and fibronectin) and by increasing the production of key scar-degrading enzymes (MMP-1 and MMP-3) to stop the formation of scars and promote the breakdown of existing scars.
"We are delighted with the results of FS2 in providing a safe and effective treatment for disfiguring scars that often profoundly affect a patient's quality of life," said Mark S. Miller, chief executive officer of BirchBioMed. "Scarring poses a chronic and growing therapeutic challenge for millions of patients each year. The global cost of treating scars is expected to reach $41.8 billion in 2022, compared with $21.4 billion just three years ago. Moreover, the U.S. National Institutes of Health estimates that 11 million Americans suffer from keloid scars, making it all the more critical that we develop cost-effective and successful treatments."
About BirchBioMed
BirchBioMed Inc. is a clinical-stage immunology company focused on the prevention and reduction of immunological fibrotic conditions and reversing defects in the immune system. As a University of British Columbia (UBC) spinoff, BirchBioMed holds the exclusive, worldwide pharmaceutical license from UBC for two breakthrough medical technologies in the treatment of scarring and certain autoimmune diseases.
SOURCE BirchBioMed
Let God Transform Your Brokenness into Something Beautiful
Seattle, WA, January 22, 2021 — The next time you experience failure, feel insecure or sense that you’re in over your head, embrace that moment — because it can be the turning point you need to learn and grow in wonderful new directions.
“We’re going to fail. The truth is, that’s exactly where God wants us to be so that He can grow us,” writes Christine Soule in her inspirational story, Broken and Beautiful. “The key is discovering who you are in Christ — your true identify. And that’s especially significant if you, like me, have a past of brokenness.”
Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times. Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking. She had to break the cycle for the sake of her children. With nowhere else to turn, she dropped to her knees and prayed. And that’s when everything changed.
Broken and Beautiful is Soule’s remarkable story of how God took the pieces of her broken, astonishingly dysfunctional life and transformed it all into a breathtaking mosaic of joy and purpose.
“The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories,” Soule writes.
Told with honesty and surprising touches of humor, Soule shares her journey from drug-addicted stripper to exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for helping others embrace God’s love. Broken and Beautiful is a raw, authentic story of hope, from a place of experience.
Author Christine Soule lives with the love of her life, Mitch Soule, in Seattle. They have five kids and three wonderful grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Providence Heights (www.providenceheights.org), a nonprofit created to house women and children in need and to provide counseling, education and jobs.
Transform Your Leadership through 9 Key Character Traits
Vancouver, British Columbia, January 22, 2021 — Castle Quay Books (Nov. 2020) is pleased to announce the release of a timely book by author David C.Bentall, Dear Younger Me: Wisdom for Family Enterprise Successors.
In Dear Younger Me, David explores nine key character traits that he found were critical for all family enterprise successors. Generously sharing from his personal journey, he offers insights for all developing leaders, providing a roadmap for cultivating emotional intelligence and for improving family relationships.
This handbook artfully balances academic research with practical insights from many well-known family enterprise leaders. Be inspired as you explore the role of selected virtues in the lives of such iconic leaders as Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Kim Phuc, Walt Disney, John Wooden and Helen Keller.
Discover how to transform your own leadership journey through humility, curiosity, listening, empathy, forgiveness, gratitude, critical thinking, patience and contentment.
David believes “developing these traits has the potential to fuel growth and transformation for current and future family business leaders.” Yet this is a guide that any business leader will benefit from.
About the Author:
David C. Bentall is a third-generation successor, who worked for 20 years in the family business, including 7 years as president and CEO of Dominion Construction. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, and the Harvard Business School, he serves as an adjunct professor at the Sauder School of Business. As the founding principal of Next Step Advisors, he is a sought-after consultant, workshop leader and mentor, and he is dedicated to helping families learn and grow together.
His bestselling book, The Company You Keep (2004), was awarded "book of the year," and his subsequent book, Leaving a Legacy (2013), has become a highly acclaimed resource for business families.
Dear Younger Me: Wisdom for Family Enterprise Successors
Publisher: Castle Quay Books
ISBN: 978-1-988928-12-8 soft cover
E-book ISBN: 978-1-988928-14-2
Available from Amazon.com and most local bookstores
Salvation: It Should Not Be Complicated or Confusing
Dallas, TX, January 21, 2021— “What do I have to do to be saved?” is the Christian faith’s most important question and one that Lucas Kitchen started asking as a young boy. It should have been an easy question to answer, though no one in the piney woods seemed to agree what that simple answer should be. Despite growing up in the buckle of the Bible belt, confusion about the Christian faith plagued every step of Lucas’ journey.
In Naked Grace: A Quest For Clarity In A World Of Confusion, Lucas Kitchen uses wit, humor and visual storytelling to invite you to join his life-long quest for answers. This multi-decade pursuit took Lucas to some laugh-out-loud places. When the stakes were as high as they could be, the simple answer finally came.
The true-life story in Naked Grace explores the confusion that many Christians quietly experience on a weekly basis. As this book demonstrates: just because they are quiet doesn’t mean they get it. This self-deprecating tale will resonate with anyone who has wrestled with unanswered questions and is dying to know the truth.
One Verse Podcast host Jeremy Myers wrote, “If you have questions about eternal life, the message of the gospel, what it means to follow Jesus as a disciple, or how grace helps us defeat sin in our lives, read his book. I guarantee his story will resemble parts of your own and will help you ask questions and find answers about the Gospel.”
Lucas Kitchen is an Amazon bestselling author with over 20 books written. His writing has been seen and heard by millions, through viral videos, radio and books. Lucas' books have covered genres such as sci-fi, urban fantasy, memoir, biography, children's literature, Christian theology and more. In addition to his writing career, Lucas is a filmmaker, pastor and international speaker. He can also be heard weekdays on the syndicated radio show Grace in Focus. He holds a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in Bible, psychology and history/political science from Letourneau University. He has a Master of Theology from Liberty University. He lives in East Texas with his family.
Naked Grace: A Quest For Clarity In A World Of Confusion Publisher: Free Grace International ISBN-10: 1661761119 ISBN-13: 978-1661761110 Available from Amazon.com
Ontario's doctors call on government to act to end crisis in long-term care homes
TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors called on Premier Doug Ford today to take urgent action to end the growing health and humanitarian crisis in the province's long-term care homes.
The Ontario Medical Association said the government could take two immediate steps to help ease the crisis, in which there are COVID outbreaks in 254 long-term care homes, including one in Barrie involving a new variant.
Provide paid sick days to all workers, including those in long-term care homes, so they can stay home if they have or suspect they have COVID rather than feel they must go to work to earn money for food or rent.
Use rapid antigen tests on everyone living in, working in or visiting long-term care homes to enable them to turn away anyone who may have COVID-19 but is not yet showing symptoms.
"There are too many cases of COVID and too many deaths in long-term care homes to say we are managing this well enough," said Dr. Samantha Hill, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "There are some things we can't control, such as vaccine supplies. But we have an ethical, scientific and fiscal duty to use the tools within our control, including rapid testing and paid sick days."
Long-term care residents have accounted for two-thirds of all COVID deaths in Ontario since the pandemic began, including 60 between Friday and Tuesday alone, bringing the total to 3,239. Ten LTC workers have also died since the pandemic began.
The OMA also urges the government to continue making LTC residents and staff the priority for vaccines and implement the recommendations doctors made last week to improve conditions in LTC, including:
cutting the red tape preventing physicians from moving rapidly into long-term care homes with outbreaks or other significant needs
continuing the use of virtual care to prevent the spread of the virus and improve access to specialists.
appointing a chief medical officer for long-term care for each Ontario Health region
shifting social attitudes so that caring for frail older adults is considered to be one of the most important jobs in the world.
"Ontario's doctors appreciate that the government is working to address both the immediate COVID-related challenges and the longer-term systemic issues," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "Neither can wait. Caring for our elderly must be an urgent priority for our province. Ontario's doctors stand at the ready to lead the needed changes."
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Chief Medical Officer Examines Dichotomy of Doctors as Patients
A Timely Medical Fiction Story Amid a Global Pandemic
Dallas, TX, January 21, 2021 — Dr. Robert Schwab, chief medical officer for a hospital in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, announces the release of his third book, Eddie’s Boy (Paperback, $18.95), February 2021. The book tells the story of a physician who faces life after an accident that leaves him with debilitating injuries. In an instant, the doctor becomes the patient, and while the journey throughout Eddie’s Boy reflects on illness and suffering, the healing and love that transpires is a lesson for all.
In the time it takes him to drive through a stoplight at the Four Corners of Law, Dr. Landon Ratliff––distracted by the finest birthday present he's ever received and won't remember––has his midlife crisis delivered to him in an instant. When his father, with whom he has never been close, is diagnosed with a terminal condition, Landon goes home to be with family.
The reader is carried through Dr. Ratliff’s resulting journey of illness, injury, suffering, healing, love and redemption. His experiences take him to places he's visited before, but never thought he'd be. In the midst of a global pandemic, the reader is reminded of themes and emotions that surfaced in 2020.
Written with ease and eloquence, Eddie's Boy explores the things we take for granted, and the things we never knew we had. In the end, healing and love overcome suffering and loss, providing readers a hopeful final message as we begin a new year.
“Doctors identify themselves as healers. When a doctor becomes objectively sick, with COVID-19 or otherwise, they’re thrust into the role of patient. It’s a profound experience for which they’re incredibly ill-prepared,” says Schwab. “Just as Landon ultimately realizes in Eddie’s Boy, I hope readers walk away with the sense that you’re never truly alone in life––you need other people, no matter who you are.”
ABOUT ROBERT SCHWAB
Robert Schwab is a physician executive with an interest in the roles that stories play in illness and healing, and how the humanities can improve medical education. In addition to writing and speaking on these topics, he teaches an undergraduate seminar at The University of Texas at Dallas. He has published poems, stories and essays, and writes and performs songs about healthcare. His first novel, Holy Water, explored the impact of the French Quarter on a young physician’s professional development. Back Side of a Hurricane, his second novel, is about fathers and their children, and the wisdom of sitting still when chaos swirls around you. He lives in Dallas. Learn more at RobertSchwab.com or on Facebook @RobertSchwabAuthor.
Lawmakers Enlist Power of Drones, AI, to Curb COVID Spread
New York, NY, January 22, 2021— In the wake of surging COVID-19 cases following Thanksgiving gatherings, the Alabama State Senate recently adopted the Draganfly Smart Vital System and its related health safety protocols to help detect potential COVID-19 in government buildings and ensure the ongoing operation of government.
“As the current pandemic continues, we are committed to provide a safe place for our staff and visitors to ensure there is no interruption in the work that needs to be done for the citizens of Alabama,” said Pat Harris, Secretary, Alabama State Senate. “We are confident that the implementation of Draganfly’s Vital Intelligence Technology will help to ensure an important layer to existing protocols that assist us in identifying and mitigating the risk of the spread of COVID-19.”
Draganfly’s American made and owned Smart Vital screening system and platform will provide comprehensive data to the Alabama State Senate that will enable those potentially at risk to receive an immediate COVID-19 test and will also include the number of people screened, number of elevated vital signs detected and the time it took for each screening.
Alabama State University in Montgomery has already been using Draganfly’s Vital Intelligence Smart Thermal + Vital screening and Social Distancing Awareness system across its campus, which measures real-time anonymous data, including contactless temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate readings. Since installation, the University has also seen significant increases in adherence to social distancing protocols.
Additionally, ASU uses Draganfly’s patented drone technology, coupled with a pathogen and virus sanitizer made by Varigard, to disinfect surfaces in its athletic stadiums and arenas. ASU President Dr. Quinton T. Ross has been a leader in ensuring his student, staff and faculty are safe during the pandemic. ASU was the first university to implement a COVID-19 safety protocol.
About Draganfly
Draganfly Inc. is the creator of quality, cutting-edge software and systems that revolutionize the way organizations can do business and service their stakeholders. Recognized as being at the forefront of technology for over 22 years, Draganfly is an award-winning, industry-leading manufacturer and technology developer serving the public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, and mapping and surveying markets. Draganfly is a company driven by passion, ingenuity, and the need to provide efficient solutions and first-class services to its customers around the world with the goal of saving time, money and lives. The company’s chairman and CEO is Cameron Chell.
New Deloitte report supports adoption of GS1 standards and barcode implementation to ensure safety and trust in Covid-19 vaccination
Deloitte white paper highlights why common standards across the global healthcare supply chain are essential as the world undergoes the largest deployment of vaccines in history
TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2021 /CNW/ - As governments and businesses around the world face one of the most significant healthcare events history – an unprecedented rapid mass development, distribution, and administration of COVID-19 vaccines – a new report issued by Deloitte points to the benefits of universal adoption of global standards across the healthcare supply chain worldwide to enable fast, efficient, and safe distribution. Global public health officials have reinforced those sentiments, with Tom Woods, Chairman of the Global Steering Committee for Quality Assurance of Health Products for the World Bank, calling for the adoption of common standards including barcode scanning, "the most important and under-discussed element in preventing vaccine distribution failures and ensuring traceability and patient safety in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign."
The Deloitte study, "Securing Trust in the Global COVID-19 Supply Chain," finds that, in addition to industry collaboration and transparent communication, "embracing GS1 standards adds an element of trust at all levels of the supply chain – a trust that ultimately extends to the patients themselves". GS1 global standards enable pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributing companies and healthcare providers to follow protocols and safety measures critical to ensuring public trust and confidence, both in the vaccine itself and the ability to roll out multi-dose vaccinations efficiently.
Barcodes carrying GS1 standards uniquely and securely identify medical products, including vaccines, from laboratories and clinical trials to point of administration. GS1 standards bring transparency and help to improve supply chain coordination, decreasing the risk of vaccine diversion, date expiration and fake vaccines, while enabling the timely administration of second doses.
While the adoption of GS1 standards continues to expand in the healthcare field, they are not yet universally applied. The Deloitte study calls vaccine identification information (such as product identifier, lot number, and expiration date) "essential for healthcare providers to administer vaccines with confidence," noting that, "the WHO recommends that all vaccines be identified with this data in a standardized barcode." GAVI and UNICEF have also required the use of GS1 standards on the secondary packages of vaccines.
In Canada, the essential players of the vaccine supply chain rely on GS1 standards, including barcodes, as the backbone for their supply chains, and are already providing visibility to their pharmaceutical product data through Canada's national product registry (ECCnet Registry). This commitment provides the foundation for safe vaccine distribution and administration to the point of patient record, and together, they are urging the Canadian government to take leadership to ensure safe and secure implementation within Canada's healthcare system.
Miguel Lopera, President and CEO at GS1 noted, "an unprecedented level of research, collaboration and investment has brought hope in the form of COVID-19 vaccines. The world now faces, however, an enormous distribution and administration challenge where global identification standards have a critical role to play. Countries around the world are implementing massive vaccination campaigns under enormous time pressure, all while the virus continues to kill thousands of people every day. Global Standards can help enable the proper identification and tracking of vaccines in the global healthcare industry and reduce the chances for error. GS1 stands ready to help all stakeholders succeed in this critical operation."
Greg Reh, Global Life Sciences & Health Care Industry Leader, Deloitte added, "For vaccine developers, health care stakeholders, and society at large, the level of transparency and public trust will determine COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and confidence. The continued adoption of global standards from organisations like GS1 are helping to instill that confidence in the Covid-19 vaccines."
Today more than 70 countries have healthcare regulations or trading partner requirements for which industry uses GS1 standards. These countries rely on GS1 DataMatrix two-dimensional (2D) barcodes that can encode vaccine identification information to help reduce errors and enable traceability.
As some countries are experiencing tracking difficulties linking vaccines to patients at point of administration, the Deloitte report notes that "it is important to identify and label the vaccines capturing precisely which patient received which vaccine, and when." Globally unique identification and GS1 barcoding can support that critical task.
On January 28, a global healthcare dialogue is bringing together senior leaders from the healthcare industry and life sciences value chain, including the WHO, World Bank and Deloitte, to discuss key challenges, opportunities and early learnings presented by the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
For further information on the report and to register for the event, please click here.
About GS1 Healthcare
GS1 Healthcare is a neutral and open community bringing together healthcare stakeholders to lead the successful development and implementation of global GS1 standards, enhancing patient safety, and operational and supply chain efficiencies.
The development and implementation of GS1 standards is led by the experts who use them: pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, group purchasing organizations, hospitals, pharmacies, logistics providers, solution providers, governmental and regulatory bodies, and trade associations. Evidence available from industry implementations shows that GS1 identification, data capture and data sharing standards in healthcare deliver tangible benefit to all stakeholders. GS1 Healthcare members include more than 100 leading healthcare organizations worldwide.
About GS1 Canada
GS1 Canada is a neutral, not-for-profit association that develops and maintains global standards for efficient business communication, improving the efficiency, safety, security, sustainability and visibility of value chains across physical and digital channels. Our scale and reach help ensure that GS1 standards provide a common language that supports systems and processes across the globe.
In Canada, through our unique community management role, we collaborate with business leaders, industry and sector boards, advisory councils and work groups to develop standards, guidelines and non-proprietary industry managed solutions to support subscribers of all sizes across multiple sectors.
GS1 Canada is a global leader in data quality, and the primary source of truth for data excellence for Canadian industry.
Ravi Deshpande joins ELNA Medical as Chief Business Development Officer, Canada
Accomplished business leader to contribute to ELNA's significant North American growth
MONTREAL, Jan. 21, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The management team at ELNA Medical is delighted to welcome Ravi Deshpande (PharmD) as Chief Business Development Officer, Canada.
An Outstanding Career Path "I am very pleased to welcome Ravi to our management team, stated Laurent Amram, President and founder of ELNA Medical. Ravi is an accomplished executive who brings a wealth of impressive experience from a global Fortune 500 organization that is a leader in the pharmaceutical distribution industry and in healthcare solutions. He will facilitate our ambitious projects for Canada and the United States."
Ravi Deshpande has held a range of management positions at McKesson for over 15 years. Among others, he was Chief Strategy Officer for McKesson Canada and Senior Vice-President at Medicentres; he played a key role in the expansion of the multinational's Canadian footprint, tripling the pharmacy network through numerous acquisitions.
A registered pharmacist, Ravi Deshpande has held appointments in the hospital sector in Toronto and in the US and served as Assistant Professor of Medicine in North Carolina. He co-founded Phase 4 Health, a pharmaceutical services firm providing patient, prescription, and consultant services to the pharmaceutical industry, acquired by McKesson Canada in 2005.
An Experienced Leadership Team Based in Toronto, Ravi will focus on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and partnerships for ELNA Medical across Canada. He will play an instrumental role in helping the organization achieve its aggressive growth objectives. He joins a leadership team of renowned experts:
Laurent Amram, Founding President of ELNA Medical and Founding President of CDL Laboratories This dynamic, visionary entrepreneur founded in 1993 CDL Laboratories, a leading Canadian diagnostic laboratory and technological showcase of Roche Diagnostics. Subsequently, in 2016 he pioneered a network of medical services facilities under the ELNA Medical banner, which quickly rose to the rank of industry leader in Canada.
Levi Perez, Chief Operating Officer An engineer with over 40 years of experience in management and consulting to his credit, Levi has held numerous senior positions, including Vice-President at Bell Canada and Bell Sygma. He also served as member of the Board of Directors of Cognicase and of Polytechnique Montreal.
Terry Lefebvre, Chief Financial Officer Terry has extensive experience and expertise in strategic financial planning and operational excellence, mergers and acquisitions, cash management, risk and governance. He worked 18 years at SNC-Lavalin holding many senior positions, namely as Chief Financial Officer of the Canadian engineering division, in addition to 10 years at the Royal Bank of Canada.
Dr. Benjamin Burko, Chief Innovation Officer For almost 25 years, this pediatrician was Chief of Staff and Medical Director of the Tiny Tots Medical Centre, the largest ambulatory (non-hospital) pediatric centre in Canada. He pioneered the use of technology to improve office administration and clinical appointments. He also co-chaired the McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Services Faculty Council.
About ELNA Medical ELNA Medical is a privately owned, Montreal-based company comprising the largest network of medical clinics across Canada, with over 800 medical professionals working in 54 primary and specialty care and occupational health clinics. In operation since 2016, ELNA has been delivering public health-covered primary and specialized healthcare. True to its mission and spirit of innovation, ELNA is committed to making a distinctive contribution to the health and well-being of every patient by providing easily accessible medical services of exceptional quality, thanks to cutting-edge technology. ELNA Medical is associated with CDL Laboratories, a leader in the industry of privately owned laboratories in Quebec.
