Accomplished businessman joins WesternU board
Gene Barduson has been appointed to the Western University of Health Sciences Board of Trustees. He has more than 40 years of business experience, serving as the top executive of multiple companies, cultivating start-ups and reinvigorating later-stage companies.
“He brings important insight and knowledge to the work of the board,” WesternU President Philip Pumerantz said.
The Board of Trustees approved Barduson’s appointment on May 17, 2008. He replaces Ed Tessier, who served from March 2004 to April 2008 and has been named a Trustee Emeritus.
Barduson has served on the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Dean’s Advisory Board since October 2003. At that time he was CEO of Alteer Corp., which provides medical practice management software and services.
Many of the physician groups serviced by Alteer had osteopathic doctors, Barduson said. He retired in December 2007 after Alteer was bought by American Health, but his services continue to be in high demand. He now serves on five health care-related boards of directors in addition to WesternU’s Board of Trustees.
“Western University is a very special place and its dedication to excellence in health care is pretty much unsurpassed,” Barduson said. “To be part of that and its growth is pretty exciting.”
WesternU is opening four new colleges in 2009 – the College of Dental Medicine, the College of Optometry, the College of Podiatric Medicine and the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences. Barduson steered several companies to 50 to 70 percent growth per year, and he sees parallels to WesternU’s growth.
“As you look at the growth coming ahead of us at Western University, that (corporate) experience is as valuable as any,” Barduson said. “Many of the same challenges will be experienced.”
Barduson is the second new member to join the board this year. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana, PhD, superintendent of Pomona Unified School District, was appointed to the board on March 8, replacing Dr. Wes Boudette, who died in May 2007.
The 14-member board meets four times per year: March, May, August and December.
“Mr. Barduson brings an outstanding array of knowledge, experiences and perceptions to the WesternU Board of Trustees,” said Warren Lawless, board chairman. “His successful involvement in business solutions and information technology will provide enhanced perspectives to our deliberations.”
