Mr. Scott has over twenty years of accounting and healthcare experience. Mr. Scott holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He brings to the client both financial and development experience having developed over 25 ambulatory projects.

Mr. Scott was a Co-founder and Senior Vice President of a physician practice and ancillary management company, with responsibility for operations, acquisitions and development in the Florida and Georgia markets. Prior to that, he served as controller of a company that developed and managed ambulatory surgery centers, clinical treatment centers and mobile imaging centers. During his career, Mr. Scott was responsible for the financial operations of an outpatient service company specializing in outpatient diagnostic centers.

Mr. Riegle has over seventeen years of healthcare experience with focus in the area of surgery center operations. He holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University. Mr. Riegle brings years of experience working directly with physicians, patients and payors at both the center and corporate levels.

Mr. Riegle was a Director of Operations for HealthSouth Corporation with responsibilities for surgery center operations in the State of Tennessee. While with HealthSouth, he also served as Administrator of two surgery centers. Prior to HealthSouth, Mr. Riegle served as Director of Business Operations for a start-up surgery center company and as a regional manager for a large surgery center chain. Mr. Riegle has spent most of his career working in the field, directly with facility staff and physicians.

Ms. Diedrich was a founding shareholder of Ascent Partners and is Senior Vice-President of Development. Ms. Diedrich brings eighteen years of executive experience in operations and development of outpatient healthcare facilities to the benefit of all our clients. She provides “hands-on” leadership and problem resolution based upon in-depth industry knowledge to new project evaluations, facility developments, equipment planning, procurement and oversight; with interim and ongoing management contracts.

Ms. Diedrich’s broad healthcare background includes Regional Vice Presidencies with Surgical Health Corporation and the Ambulatory Surgery Division of HealthSouth Corporation, Vice President of Operations for Navix Radiology, IPA Manager for Physicians Health Corporation, and several administrator and project management positions for Columbia Hospital Corporation. She has a Masters degree in Public Administration and has held several Board positions with the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and is a member of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Ms. Heaton was a founding shareholder of Ascent and has over twenty years of accounting, auditing, and tax experience in healthcare and public accounting. She provides our management clients with financial, tax, and business office oversight, procedural costing, financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and evaluations of policies and procedures and internal controls and our development clients with financial advice, projections, and cost controls. She also supervises our healthcare employee staffing division.

Ms. Heaton is a former Regional Controller with Surgical Health Corporation and the Ambulatory Surgery Division of HealthSouth Corporation and has accounting and supervisory experience in outpatient surgery, home healthcare, DME and infusion therapy, hospitals, nursing homes, and pharmacy. She began her career as a staff accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co. after receiving a BA degree in Economics with honors. She has substantial continuing education in accounting and computer science and is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Institute of Management Accountants.

Ms. Edmonds has over five years experience in providing accounting services to outpatient surgery centers. She provides our management clients with financial, business office oversight, procedural costing, financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and evaluations of policies and procedures and internal controls. She also supervises the accounts payable department for our management and development clients.

Ms. Edmonds is a former Senior Accountant for AmSurg Corporation where she performed and supervised the accounting services for twenty four surgery centers. She holds a BS degree in Accounting from Western Kentucky University were she graduated Cum Laude and obtained her CPA License in February 2005.

Ms. Hickman is an accomplished Registered Nurse with over thirty years of experience in healthcare environments including Intensive Care, Cardiac Cath Lab, and OR experience in Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

In addition to her extensive healthcare background, Ms. Hickman has experience in Medical Software Implementation and Training for Source Medical Solutions, providing software solutions for Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Surgical Hospitals and Physician Practices. Ms. Hickman holds an RN degree from Our Lady of the Lake School of Nursing in Baton Rouge, LA. She has substantial continuing education and seminars in Nursing, Nursing Management and Medical Software.