Connecting You to Value

Kenny Hancock is an experienced executive who has spent more than 30 years establishing and growing entrepreneurial healthcare companies. His specialized skillset includes the development of new healthcare facilities, mergers and acquisitions of existing businesses, project development and syndication, managing complex projects and facility expansions.

Prior to starting Lync Health Partners in 2021, Hancock successfully co-founded three companies that focused on the development and acquisition of physician-owned surgical facilities — each of which he led from the start-up and funding phase to growth and maturity.

Hancock served as the co-founder, president and chief development officer of Meridian Surgical Partners, an ambulatory surgery center company. During his 12 years there, Meridian developed and/or acquired 16 ASCs. Before that, he served as executive vice president, chief development officer and co-founder of Surgical Alliance Corporation, a surgical hospital company founded in 2001 which developed the highly acclaimed New Albany Surgical Hospital in Ohio. In 1996, Hancock co-founded OrthoLink Physicians Corporation in 1996, to develop, manage and operate orthopedic physician practices, surgery centers and surgical hospitals. OrthoLink encompassed more than 225 orthopedic surgeon partners and developed ten orthopedic centers of excellence across six states that included physician partnerships in surgery, imaging, physical therapy and real estate.

Hancock is a published author and is a sought-after presenter at national healthcare industry conferences and events. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from University of Kentucky.

Cathy Kowalski is a seasoned healthcare executive utilizing her 30+ years of industry experience to support growing surgery centers. She serves as co-founder and chief operating officer at Lync Health Partners, overseeing all daily business functions.

As a Registered Nurse and founder of four different companies, Kowalski brings a unique perspective to the world of healthcare entrepreneurship.

Prior to founding Lync, Kowalski served as the chief operating officer of 7 Springs Orthopedics, a comprehensive practice treating muscle, bone and joint injuries. In 2006, Kowalski founded Meridian Surgical Partners, where she spent 12 years as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Meridian focused on ambulatory surgery center development, acquisition and management. Kowalski founded the Surgical Alliance Corporation, serving as executive vice president of operations from 2001 to 2005. The first company she founded was called OrthoExcel, Inc., a hospital management company focused on contractual management of orthopedic business lines. There, she served as the vice president of operations and hospital/ancillary services.

In 1993, Kowalski became served vice president of operations at MedCenter Management Services, Inc., a healthcare management organization specializing in the development and management of orthopedic centers of excellence. For the four years before that, she served as manager at the Ohio Orthopedic Institute, responsible for planning and ongoing operation of a new forty-bed inpatient unit specializing in total joint arthroplasty. From 1985 to 1989, Kowalski was a cardiothoracic surgery/heart transplant team staff nurse at The Ohio State University.

Kowalski received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Ohio State University in 1985 and a Masters of Science in Organizational Development and Analysis from Case Western Reserve University in May 1995. Kowalski is published and contributes to a variety of industry publications. She resides in Brentwood, Tennessee.

For nearly 20 years, Jim Uden has operated at the intersection of finance and healthcare, implementing his vision for growth at new and existing surgical centers. Uden serves as co-founder and chief financial officer at Lync Health Partners, overseeing the fiscal health of the organization and its partners.

Prior to founding Lync, Uden served two years as chief financial officer at Haven Behavioral Healthcare, an acute care behavioral hospital with seven locations across the country. Before his time at Haven, Uden spent 13 years at Meridian Surgical Partners, a group specializing in the acquisition, development and management of spine and orthopedic-driven ambulatory surgery centers. After spending eight years as the senior vice president of acquisitions and corporate development, Uden became chief financial officer in 2013. Uden first worked with Lync co-founder Kenny Hancock at Surgical Alliance Corporation, where he was a senior financial analyst. Before his time in healthcare, Uden was a senior analyst at McDonald Investments.

A Tennessee native, Uden graduated from The University of the South with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Uden is active in the Nashville community, serving as a board member for both the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly and the Nashville Gymnastics Training Center.

As Lync Health Partner’s Chief Development Officer, Greg Thompson is responsible for building the innovation-driven organization and working alongside physicians to improve health outcomes and drive down costs of care.

Thompson is a seasoned healthcare executive, with a 25-year track record of strong leadership, physician partnerships and deep industry knowledge. As a proven leader in innovation and growth, Thompson pursues Lync’s growth opportunities in order to improve value in the ASC sector, particularly the joint, cardiology and spine service lines.

Before joining Lync’s leadership team, Thompson served for 18 years as CEO of Southern Orthopedic Associates where he led a $120 million, 47-provider group operating ASCs in southern Illinois and western Kentucky. During his tenure, the organization improved the quality and availability of musculoskeletal care to a service area of 800,000 people, significantly reduced payors’ costs and delivered total compensation to physician owners in the 90th percentile. Prior to SOA, Thompson served in leadership roles at Heartland Healthcare in Edwardsville, Ill., and PhyCor of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.