As a driving force behind Regent Surgical Health’s first deal, Jeff Simmons never slowed down in his goal to make this company a better place for partners and employees. Twenty years after joining Regent, and on his last day on the job, Simmons closed again – this time his third deal in Alaska, a territory that was unchartered for Regent when they landed their first deal but would grow to become a driver for Regent’s future growth and profitability.
Regent’s Founder Tom Mallon recruited Simmons, a former hospital CEO turned consultant, after they worked together on ASC investment and turnaround opportunities in Nevada in 2001.
Simmons was Mallon’s first hire. “Jeff started as a consultant and was on the ground floor when we were in startup mode,” said Mallon. “He quickly became a trusted confidant leading our operations and business development on the West Coast. His fingerprints are all over our company, literally at every stage of our growth.”
“Jeff has been part of our success from the beginning,” said Regent CEO Chris Bishop. “But just as important, he has been instrumental in helping us evolve our model to include physician/hospital ASC joint venture partnerships. Jeff was tireless in his pursuit of transactions and made significant contributions at every turn.”
“When I joined Regent, it was a second act in a lot of ways. My career could have been winding down but instead, this became my longest tenure, and without a doubt my favorite and most rewarding job, besides being a father and husband of course,” said Simmons.
Personal and professional values are one of the key reasons Simmons joined Regent.
“Tom had a vision for creating a company with culture at its core, and he and Chris have stayed true to that through the highs and lows of growing this business,” said Simmons. “When I met Tom, I wasn’t worried that there wasn’t any business. What resonated with me was the culture he wanted to create. Hire good people. Tell the truth. Try not to make the same mistakes twice. These values evolved into the RISE culture we have now; they have stood the test of time.”
Today, Regent Surgical Health is among the nation’s leading surgery center management and development companies. “Jeff is leaving a rich legacy at Regent,” noted Bishop. “We are not a business that only focuses on quarterly earnings – we are about sustainability and long-term relationships and Jeff played a critical role in helping us deliver that value today. In fact, to take a page from Peyton Manning’s retirement after winning the Super Bowl playbook, Jeff closed one final transaction in a high priority market for us and retired the next day. You couldn’t have scripted a better ending to an amazing career.”
“Signing my last deal in Alaska on my last day at Regent is a full circle moment,” added Simmons. “I couldn’t have asked for a better career, a better team, or a more fitting way to end what has been a great ride.”
