VAN NESS NAMED HDMA VICE PRESIDENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Arlington, VA – August 18, 2009 – The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) announced that Jeff Van Ness has joined the Association as its new Vice President of Communications and Marketing. In this position, Van Ness will lead strategic communications initiatives and media relations for HDMA’s priority issues, support the Association’s advocacy efforts and guide the organization’s branding.

“Jeff is well-versed on a variety of issues affecting the healthcare industry,” said John M. Gray, HDMA President and CEO. “He brings with him a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to lead our Communications and Marketing staff and will continue to advocate on behalf of our primary, full-service distributor members, who work daily to ensure a safe and secure supply chain.”

Van Ness most recently served as Communications Director for the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit dedicated to measuring and improving healthcare quality. Notablty, he oversaw the production and writing of NCQA’s annual State of Health Care Quality Report, the organization’s signature communication to external audiences about healthcare quality in America and supervised aspects of America’s Best Health Plans — a collaboration between NCQA and U.S. News & World Report. He holds degrees in Biology and English from the University of Virginia.

About HDMA
The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is the national association representing primary, full-service healthcare distributors. Each business day, the member companies of HDMA are responsible for ensuring that more than eight million prescription medicines and healthcare products are safely delivered to 145,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics, government and other providers in all 50 states. This essential public health function is provided with tremendous efficiency, saving the nation’s healthcare system nearly $32 billion each year. HDMA and its members are the vital link in the healthcare system, working daily to provide value, remove costs and develop innovative solutions to deliver care safely and effectively.