National health care execs join Tampa firm

TAMPA — Diagnostic laboratory firm Avalon Healthcare Solutions, which uses proprietary software to manage a national network of lab providers, recently announced the appointments of two senior executives.

Barry Davis was named chief growth officer and Shantha Diaz was named COO of the Tampa-based firm. “We are thrilled to welcome Barry and Shantha to the Avalon team,” says Avalon Healthcare CEO Dr. Bill Kerr in a statement. “They are exceptional leaders with outstanding track records serving health care payers and their members and providers.”

Davis is responsible for growing Avalon's revenues and services through the company's national business development strategy, say company officials. Davis was most recently a senior vice president for the health plan segment at OptumRx, a business of insurance giant UnitedHealth Group. He led a cross-functional team there that managed a multibillion-dollar business that served more than 25 health plan clients, the release states.

Diaz, in the COO role, will leading the ongoing creation and management of critical technology and operational capabilities for Avalon's lab management business, say company officials. Diaz was previously a staff vice president of Medical Business Solutions at Anthem, and was most recently COO of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, where he oversaw a doubling of the plan's membership and revenues.