Reliant Renal Forms with $50 Million

Reliant Renal Care Inc. has launched as an outpatient dialysis provider, with a $50 million private equity commitment led by Ferrer Freeman & Co., with DW Healthcare Partners also participating. In conjunction with the financing, RRC acquired a majority interest in four dialysis centers in central Michigan from McLaren Healthcare Corp., in exchange for RRC stock.  

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Reliant Renal Care, Inc. (RRC), a comprehensive outpatient dialysis provider, is pleased to announce its company formation with the initial placement of $ 50 million in private equity for acquisitions and development.

 

The executive management team is led by Barbara Bednar who is RRC's Chief Executive Officer and was formerly COO for Renal Treatment Centers and co-founder and COO for Physicians Dialysis, Inc. Ms. Bednar has thirty-five (35) years experience in nephrology beginning as a nurse. After receiving her masters in hospital administration, Ms. Bednar moved into key executive management positions with the above mentioned companies.

 

Scott Roncace is the Chief Financial Officer of Reliant and brings with him twenty (20) years of experience most recently with Call, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical company. Previously, Mr. Roncace was senior manager of mergers and acquisitions for Deloitte and Touche. Nola McMullen is the Chief Operating Officer for the company. Ms. McMullan has over twenty (20) years experience in nephrology and is a nurse who has had experience in operations at both DaVita and previously at Renal Treatment Centers. John Sullivan with seventeen (17) years experience in nephrology is the Chief Development Officer for the company and his experience includes corporate development roles at Fresenius Medical Care. Most recently, Mr. Sullivan was Associate Professor in the Finance faculty at Boston University. Mr. Sullivan has published extensively on the economics of dialysis. Rounding out the management team is Larry Nail, Senior Vice President of Development. Mr. Nail has over eighteen (18) years experience in healthcare both in acquisitions and development in dialysis centers and outpatient surgery centers.

 

Ferrer Freeman & Company (FFC) led the company's investor syndicate. FFC, based in Greenwich, CT, invests exclusively in healthcare and healthcare-related companies. FFC was an investor in Ms. Bednar's previous dialysis company, Physicians Dialysis. Thomas Flynn of FFC will join the Board of Directors for the company. Mr. Flynn commented: “We view the renal dialysis industry as an attractive segment of healthcare services and are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to partner again with Barbara Bednar.” Mr. Flynn also added, “We believe RRC has put together a solid management group with the ability to capitalize on a variety of acquisition and development opportunities.”

 

In conjunction with the financing, Reliant Renal Care closed the acquisition of a majority interest in four dialysis centers in central Michigan. As part of the transaction, McLaren Healthcare Corporation (“McLaren”) received stock in Reliant and will be represented on the Reliant board. Joining FFC and McLaren in the transaction is DW Healthcare Partners (“DWHP”), a health care-focused private equity investor based in Salt Lake City, UT. DWHP founder Andrew Carragher, whose past experience includes development roles at DaVita, Inc., will join RRC's board. Also, joining the board is Ron Hinds who was a founding member of Renal Care Group, Inc. (“RCG”) and also served as Chief Financial Officer for RCG.

 

“I am excited to begin Reliant Renal Care, Inc. with a very strong management team, solid private equity backing, and an outstanding partnership with McLaren Healthcare Corporation and key nephrologists in Michigan”, stated Barbara Bednar, CEO. “Our goal as a company will be to focus on partnerships where possible and to be the strongest clinical provider of dialysis in the nation. I would also envision RRC leading the way from a clinical perspective in both home and self care dialysis. Our management team lends itself to being a uniquely strong clinical and operational company”.

 

Reliant Renal Care develops, acquires, and operates outpatient treatment centers for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as End Stage Renal Disease (“ESRD”). Reliant Renal Care is a renal disease management company that affiliates with selected nephrology physician practices and hospital systems to develop health care delivery systems in markets throughout the United States.

 

For more information on Reliant Renal Care, Inc., please visit www.reliantrenalcare.com