Fort Worth-based VERTESS, a leading health care mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, has added J. Blake Peart, a former hospital and Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) CEO, has joined the company as a Managing Director. Blake began his career as a clinician / Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) before moving into several administrative and executive positions with numerous high-profile healthcare organizations.
Blake has an extensive and diverse career in health care. In the past ten years, he has served as CEO for multiple hospitals of Fortune 500 companies and CEO for several large Ambulatory Surgery Centers. In addition, he has played a critical role in several M+A transactions, experiencing the entire M+A process from start to finish focusing primarily on private equity transactions. Blake’s history as both a CEO and clinician provides him a unique perspective based on years of experience and empathy when working with business owners seeking M+A advice.
At VERTESS, Blake will provide M+A and consulting services primarily to Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Physician Practices, and independent hospital business markets, where he brings a level of expertise and depth of understanding rarely found in the healthcare M+A field.
“As someone who has walked in their shoes, I have chosen this path to support healthcare business owners who select the M+A direction,” Blake stated. “I know that every transaction is unique and must be tailored to a seller’s need in order to get the best deal. I am committed to providing a positive experience throughout the entire process. VERTESS and I are completely aligned in our goals and dedication to supporting our clients.”
Brad Smith, VERTESS Managing Director/Partner, said, “We are honored to have Blake join our team. His far-reaching and respected career in healthcare provides him an advantage few in the healthcare M+A world can claim.”