Fort Myers, Fla., July 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (“FCS” or the “Company”) announced that FCS Chief Financial Officer Nathan H. Walcker has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2020. Walcker will succeed current Chief Executive Officer Brad Prechtl, MBA, who will retire from FCS, effective July 30, 2020, but continue to serve as a consultant through April 2021.
Prechtl has served as FCS CEO since October 2009, and through his decade plus tenure was instrumental in the development and creation of an infrastructure that enabled the Company to become a nationally recognized community oncology practice leader.
Under his leadership, FCS achieved many significant milestones that included the expansion of clinical sites, physicians and staff to ensure patients battling cancer have access to the highest quality care in their local communities. Prechtl was also instrumental in the development and growth of imaging, specialty pharmacy, care management, pathology services and clinical trials/research.
“I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to steer such an innovative organization over the last 10-plus years,” said Prechtl. “FCS has developed and grown with the singular goal of consistently providing the highest quality of value-based cancer care. I am very proud of all that we’ve accomplished and have been inspired every day by the dedication and commitment of my colleagues, physicians, clinicians and employees, and the courage and perseverance of our patients,” Prechtl concluded.
Walcker joined FCS in August 2019, bringing more than a decade of healthcare, physician services and corporate finance expertise with him to Fort Myers. During his time at FCS, he’s made significant contributions across finance, strategy and operations.
“Nate’s passion for our mission and commitment to our patients, team members and physicians is apparent,” said FCS President and Managing Physician Lucio Gordan, MD. “The Executive Board and I are confident that his vision for the future, coupled with the clinical expertise and long-standing reputation of our physicians and providers, positions us well as an organization," he said.
After earning his undergraduate degree in Economics from Columbia University in the City of New York, Walcker started his career on the trading floor at Merrill Lynch in New York. He later received his MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and has since held senior positions as an investment banker focused on M&A and strategic advisory for healthcare clients across the globe.
“Florida Cancer Specialists is a really special organization doing great things for patients within local communities across the state," said Walcker. "I look forward to building on the solid foundation that materialized under Brad’s leadership and driving FCS forward into its next chapter. I thank Dr. Gordan, the FCS Executive Board and Brad for the opportunity, and importantly, my nearly 4,000 FCS teammates for their hard work, dedication and commitment to our mission.”
# # #
About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC: (FLCancer.com)
Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. In the past 4 years, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in such prestigious medical schools and research institutes as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, Emory, M.D. Anderson, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.
Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our highest values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.
*Prior to approval
Attachment