Largo executive to lead ambulance association

LARGO —Mark Postma, chief operating officer of Pinellas County's 911 ambulance transport service Sunstar Paramedics, has been named as president-elect of the American Ambulance Association. Postma will lead the national trade association for the ambulance services industry as president-elect in 2015 and as president in 2016.

The election results were decided by a national vote among all American Ambulance Association members.

The association promotes health care policies, and provides research, education and communications programs for its members. Members of the association cover more than 75% of the United States population with emergency and non-emergency care and medical transportation services.

Postma currently serves on the American Ambulance Association's board of directors, and previously served as co-chair of the organization's professional standards committee. In addition, he represents the association on the commission on accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) as vice-chair of its board of directors and chairman of the CAAS grant committee.

A nationally registered paramedic since 1982, Postma has led Sunstar Paramedics since 2004. He was promoted to the additional position of vice president of Sunstar Paramedics' parent company Paramedics Plus in 2011.

Sunstar Paramedics employs 550 people and handles roughly 500 calls a day. Formed in 1998, Tyler, Texas-based Paramedics Plus is an emergency medical services system management organization that works with the East Texas Medical Center and also operates Sunstar Paramedics; Three Rivers Ambulance Authority in Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Paramedics Plus in Alameda County, California.