Former HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt Launches New Firm

Salt Lake City, UT, September 8, 2009 – Michael O. Leavitt, the former three-term governor of Utah, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and EPA Administrator, has formed a new company called “Leavitt Partners.” Leavitt Partners will advise companies in the practice areas of health, environment and trade, helping clients to enhance the value of their products, enter new markets, navigate complex regulatory and reimbursement systems and improve communications. Prominent colleagues from Leavitt’s time in public service have joined Leavitt Partners to create a premier team.

“After nearly 17 years of public service, I’ve learned how to approach complex problems, convene the right people to form a solution and deploy a strategy to ensure continual success,” said Gov. Mike Leavitt. “During my service I met enormously talented people, several of whom have joined me at Leavitt Partners to apply this experience and add value to private and public enterprises.”

The team at Leavitt Partners offers clients over 200 years of private and public experience in health care, environmental stewardship and international commerce. At various times during their career, team members have helped develop and implement the nation’s pandemic preparedness plan; import safety strategy and action plan; Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program; Medicaid waivers; the State Children’s Health Insurance Program; ground-level ozone standards; the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration to protect water quality; the American Health Information Community to advance health IT; agreements in food, feed, drugs and devices; and other landmark accomplishments. In addition to this public sector experience, members of the Leavitt team have served in leadership roles at health plans and third party administrators, pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals and business associations.

“We have created a company with a breadth and depth of talent, specialized expertise and global contacts,” said Leavitt. “Best of all, the team at Leavitt Partners shares a passion for and commitment to our clients’ success, a strong economy and the betterment of the human condition in the United States and around the world.”

Areas of speciality for the firm include health care, emergency preparedness and response, environmental health, food and medical product safety, global health, health information technology, personalized medicine, Medicare and Medicaid, and import safety.

Leavitt will serve as the chairperson of Leavitt Partners. Here is a summary of each of the team members of Leavitt Partners:

Michael O. Leavitt – Gov. Leavitt was thrice elected as governor of Utah. Upon leaving to accept a Cabinet position in the George W. Bush Administration, he was the most senior governor in the country and had chaired the Republic Governors Association, Western Governors’ Association and National Governors Association. He served as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 2003 to 2005 and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2005-2010. In this latter role, he led the nation’s efforts to prepare for a pandemic, oversaw the implementation of Medicare Part D, chaired an interagency effort to prepare the nation’s import safety plan and led U.S. delegations to more than 50 countries.

Rich McKeown – Rich McKeown is the President and CEO of Leavitt Partners. In previous roles, Mr. McKeown served as Chief of Staff for Michael O. Leavitt at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At HHS, he directed and coordinated the activities of the largest department in the federal government, serving as the day-to-day manager for the 67,000 employee and $740 billion department. While at HHS, Mr. McKeown was the designated liaison for the Bush Administration’s Import Safety Action Plan, which charted a new course in the country’s approach to import safety. He also led FDA negotiations with the Chinese health ministries and helped complete the signage of landmark safety agreements.

David William Kennedy Acheson, M.D., F.R.C.P. – David Acheson is Managing Director, Food and Import Safety Practice at Leavitt Partners. Dr. Acheson is the former Associate Commissioner of Foods at the Food and Drug Administration. In previous roles, he also served as Assistant Commissioner of Food Protection, Director of Food Safety and Security, and the Chief Medical Officer at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. He has published extensively and is internationally recognized for his public health expertise in food safety and his research in infectious diseases.

Susan C. Winckler, RPh, Esq. – Susan C. Winckler is Managing Director, Medical Products Practice, at Leavitt Partners. Winckler is the former Chief of Staff for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In previous roles, she led FDA’s Office of Legislation, Office of External Relations, Office of Public Affairs and Office of the Executive Secretariat. She is nationally known for her policy expertise, familiarity with food safety practices and medical and food product expertise.

Dennis G. Smith – Dennis G. Smith is Managing Director, Medicaid Practice, at Leavitt Partners. Smith is the previous Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In this role, he directed the $350 billion Medicaid program and State Children’s Health Insurance Program. He has extensive experience in working with states on Medicaid waivers and groundbreaking demonstration projects. In previous roles, Smith played a central role in the passage and implementation of the Medicaid provisions in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, the creation of SCHIP and welfare reform.

Andrew A. Croshaw – Andrew A. Croshaw is Managing Director, Health Care Practice, at Leavitt Partners. He is a former Senior Executive Advisor to Secretary Michael O. Leavitt at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Croshaw served as the Project Director for the Value-Driven Healthcare Initiative. Prior to serving in the federal government, Mr. Croshaw worked at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation where he focused on the Medicare and Medicaid business segments.

Denise Schwarz – Denise is the Managing Director, Administration, at Leavitt Partners. Prior to Leavitt Partners, Denise served as Executive Assistant to Michael O. Leavitt at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Denise has served five EPA Administrators and also worked as an Executive Assistant in the White House and Department of Treasury.

Taylor Leavitt – Taylor Leavitt is Managing Director, Equity Practice, at Leavitt Partners. Mr. Leavitt directs investment decisions at Leavitt Partners that are aligned with the partnerships core beliefs. Prior to Leavitt Partners, Mr. Leavitt worked for ZARS Pharma in the field of corporate licensing and business development operations.

Together, this team, led by Leavitt Partners’ Chairperson, Michael O. Leavitt, brings unique experience, practical insight and rich talent set to clients. Leavitt Partners seeks clients who will benefit from this elaborate team.

ABOUT LEAVITT PARTNERS
Leavitt Partners advises clients in the practice areas of health, environment and trade. Led by former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and EPA Administrator Michael O. Leavitt, Leavitt Partners proves strategic input and counsel to a broad range of companies and governmental entities.

For more information contact Leavitt Partners at 801-656-9716 or denise@leavittpartners.com.