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American Family Care
Our Leadership Team
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After graduating from medical school, Dr. Irwin experienced firsthand the overcrowding of emergency rooms and saw the difficulty working people had accessing health care around their schedules. Knowing there had to be a better way, he envisioned a new kind of health care— with a facility equipped and staffed like an ER, and able to provide routine care from the consumer’s point of view. This simple idea came to fruition in 1982 when the first American Family Care location opened in Birmingham, Alabama. Located close to where patients lived, worked, and shopped, it offered extended hours, 7 days a week. Best of all, it provided access on a walk-in basis, so patients could get the right care, right when they needed it.
Back then – in a world where politicians, academicians, and insurance companies drove the world of medicine – the idea of patient-centered health care was a radical one. But the idea took off, and AFC began building clinics in neighborhoods all over. Today, with hundreds of clinics across the U.S. caring for millions of patients each year, AFC is the nation’s leading
provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine. Best of all, our clinics are independently owned and operated by people committed to your community.
Dr. Irwin’s pioneering efforts created a health care revolution. Today, our vision is to become one of the most admired brands in health care. The key to our success is adherence to our values, and our mission statement: To provide the best healthcare possible, in a kind and caring environment, while respecting the rights of all patients, in an economical manner, at times and locations convenient to the patient.
“From the beginning, my goal was to make high-quality healthcare as accessible as possible. That continues to this day.”
The Executive Team
Dr. Bruce Irwin, MD
Founder and CEO
Dr. Bruce Irwin, MD
Born the son of a cobbler in Center Point, Alabama, Bruce Irwin spent much of his childhood watching physicians and nurses tend to his father, who lost both legs in a locomotive accident. By the age of four, that experience had instilled in the young man the dream of one day becoming a doctor. After attending the University of Alabama School of Medicine and achieving that dream, Dr. Bruce Irwin was working as an emergency room physician and discovered non-emergencies were clogging up the waiting rooms. Despite his lack of experience in business, he sketched a plan for a network of urgent care clinics on a notepad. Today, with over 200 clinics and 500 in-network physicians caring for 3 million patients a year, American Family Care is the world’s leading provider of urgent care and family care.
Along with his day-to-day role as leader of a fast-growing Inc. 5000 company, throughout his career Dr. Irwin has also stayed at the forefront of medicine. Indeed, in addition to his previous Fellowship in Primary Care Development at Michigan State University and board certification from the American Board of Family Practice, Dr. Irwin has held board seats and/or memberships in organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Association for Ambulatory Care, the American Academy of Medical Directors, the American Board of Family Practice, and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, among others.
With the extraordinary success of AFC, Dr. Bruce Irwin has evolved into a leading philanthropist for health-related issues. In addition to serving in volunteer leadership roles and providing significant financial support to causes such as The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The American Heart Association, and The Arthritis Foundation, Dr. Irwin currently serves as Co-Chair of Alabama Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Light the Night Walk”.
Randy Johansen
President and Member of the Board of Directors
Randy Johansen
Randy Johansen joined American Family Care in June, 1992 as Chief Operating Officer and became President in 2005. Randy has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare field, primarily in finance, business administration and operations. During his tenure with AFC, the company has grown from six clinics located in Alabama to nearly 200 clinics across 26 states. He has also played an integral role in all of the company’s major acquisitions, including the purchases of Trinity Medical Contractors – a health care recruiting firm that has been renamed American Healthcare Resources – and Doctors Express, the largest urgent care franchising organization in the U.S.
Prior to joining AFC, Johansen worked for Southern Medical Health Systems in Mobile, Alabama where he served as Vice President of the Health Services Division, which included the management of physician offices, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, outpatient surgery centers, and prison health care management.
Johansen has been a featured speaker at various industry events and interviewed and/or quoted in important industry publications including The Wall Street Journal, Franchise Times, and The Ambulatory M&A Advisor, among others.
Johansen received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Northeast Missouri State University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of South Alabama.
Joseph Hawley, CPA
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officers
Joseph Hawley, CPA
Joseph Hawley joined AFC in January 1998. Prior to joining AFC, he was in public accounting for over twenty years. He has worked with AFC as an independent accountant and consultant since its inception, including involvement with the original planning phase of the company.
He has an extensive and diversified background in tax, accounting, and management services. Joseph received his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama.
Dr. Benjamin Barlow, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Benjamin Barlow, MDv
Dr. Benjamin Barlow currently serves as Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care, the nation’s leading provider of urgent care and occupational medicine, with 200 medical centers and 650 in-network physicians caring for nearly 3 millions patients a year. Dr. Barlow joined AFC after more than a decade of service to our country in the US Air Force, where he attained the rank of Major. During his distinguished military career, Dr. Barlow was continuously assigned roles of increasing responsibility, including overseas deployment in support of combat troops and as the Emergency Room Medical Director at Langley Air Force Base - the busiest ER in the Air Force with 16 physicians and 36,000 patient visits per year. For his service to our nation, he is the recipient of the Presidential Service Certificate, the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal, among other noteworthy distinctions.
Claudius Moore
Chief Information Officer
Claudius Moore
Claudius Moore brings to American Family Care more than 20 years of hands-on experience in information systems, information technologies, and clinical and revenue cycle management. As a result of his education and experience, Mr. Moore has mastered a method of leveraging technology to drive revenue and lower costs for healthcare systems, while also creating high-quality, efficient experiences for patients.
As the Chief Information Officer, Mr. Moore provides leadership for the continued development of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment throughout AFC. He oversees the architecture and implementation of operational and business support systems, as well as the implementation and support of unique applications that will define AFC as a leader in the healthcare arena.
Prior to joining AFC, Mr. Moore served as the Chief Information Officer for The South Bend Clinic in South Bend, Indiana, which is a physician-owned multi-specialty group that has served the community for more than 100 years.
He has a dual master's degree in information technology management and business administration from the University of Maryland and a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Sierra Leone. In addition, he holds a graduate certificate in computer information science from the Catholic University of America and is a Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA).
Jason Badyrka
Vice President, Franchise Operations
Jason Badyrka
Jason joined AFC in 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Franchise Operations for AFC Franchising, LLC (subsidiary). In his current role, Jason is responsible for leading the execution of ongoing franchise business operations aligned with AFC’s brand and growth objectives.
Prior to AFC, Jason worked for Birmingham-based Top 100 general contractor Hoar Construction where he held several leadership positions of increasing responsibility and led multiple large-scale health care projects across the U.S.
Jason attended Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction (BSCI).
Michael Chester
General Counsel
Michael Chester
Michael joined AFC in 2019 and currently serves as the General Counsel. In his role, Michael oversees all legal matters for AFC including advising on employment matters, advising on franchising matters, real estate transactions, contract review and drafting, corporate governance, regulatory and compliance matters, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, capital raising transactions, and litigation management.
Prior to joining AFC, Michael was in private practice for approximately ten years where he represented start-ups and practiced primarily in federal courts across the Unites States.
Michael attended the University of North Georgia where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a Minor in Criminal Justice. He then continued his education at Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, earning his Juris Doctorate.
Gwen Dwyer
Vice President, Clinical Operations
Gwen Dwyer
Gwen joined AFC in 1996 and currently serves as the Vice President of Clinical Operations. In her role, Gwen is responsible for day to day operations of the North Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia facilities, overall management of patient care, and implementation of Electronic Medical Records. During her 20+ years with the company, she has had various job duties including billing supervisor, implementation of optical imaging and conversion of billing software.
Prior to AFC, Gwen with 18 years of healthcare experience primarily in clinical management, claims processing, and clinical operations.
Gwen has been an integral part of the growth of AFC and during her tenure has been directly involved with the opening processes of 19 new locations.
Mark Goodwin
Vice President, Revenue Cycyle Management
Mark Goodwin
Mark joined AFC in 2018 and currently serves as the Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management. In his role, Mark is responsible for transforming the revenue cycle operation into an efficient exception management and results driven process with enterprise scalability.
Prior to AFC, Mark served as VP, RCM Sales and Operations with NextGen Healthcare and as the National Vice President of Academics and Multi-Specialty groups at Per-Se Technologies bringing more than two decades of healthcare finance and physician revenue cycle expertise to the role.
Mark attended Georgia Southern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Sean Hart
Vice President, Franchise Sales
Sean Hart
Sean joined AFC in 2016 and currently serves as the Vice President of Franchise Sales and Development for AFC Franchising, LLC (subsidiary). In his role, Sean is responsible for the strategic growth of the franchise system, exploring new business opportunities to benefit corporate and franchise centers and strengthening the AFC brand.
Prior to AFC, Sean worked with franchise companies like, Benfield the Pet Hospital (Mars), Black & Decker and Sylvan Learning Centers where his roles included sales, operations, multi-unit management, team building and return-on-investment.
Sean attended Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He then continued his education at Auburn, earning a Master of Science in Interpersonal Communication. He is a Certified Franchise Executive.
Jessica Higginbotham
Vice President, Pharmacy Services
Jessica Higginbotham
Jessica joined AFC in 2019 and currently serves as the Vice President of Pharmacy Services. In her role, Jessica provides clinical pharmacy services as well as manages the U-Save Pharmacy Chain, which is comprised of 10 retail pharmacies located throughout Alabama.
Prior to AFC, Jessica practiced as an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), as an inpatient cardiology clinical pharmacist at Metropolitan Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, as an ambulatory care clinical pharmacist at Lapointe Health Clinic at Fort Campbell (KY), and community pharmacist at Blanchfield Army Hospital at Fort Campbell (KY).
Jessica is Board Certified in both Geriatrics and Cardiology. She was awarded the Mel Liter Clinical Pharmacy Award by the U.S. Army Medical Department which recognizes excellence in the practice of Clinical Pharmacy and pharmaceutical care.
Patti Holt
Vice President, Recruiting
Patti Holt
Patti joined AFC in 2014 and currently serves as the Vice President of Physician Recruiting for American Healthcare Resources (subsidiary). In her role, Patti oversees the recruitment services of physicians, mid-level providers, and health professionals for both AFC and non-AFC organizations across the country, but also serves as an approved vendor for AFC Franchising, LLC (subsidiary).
Prior to AFC, Patti spent 15+ years in management and leadership of medical personnel recruiting, staffing, and case management.
Patti has received Recruiting Recognitions of Outstanding Performance while working with AFC and was awarded the Vital Circle Award, along with Special Recognition Awards for Excellence and Teamwork. She also received several Honors of Recognition during her career to include an Outstanding Leadership Commendation by the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources.
Jim Kerr
Vice President, Human Resources
Jim Kerr
Jim joined AFC in 2005 and currently serves as Vice President of Human Resources. In his current role, Jim is responsible for employment and staffing, compensation and benefits, employee relations and training.
Prior to AFC, he worked for 14 years at Southern Research Institute, a diversified contract R&D organization with a focus on pre-clinical drug discovery, materials engineering and environmental sciences, and 4 years with Baxter Healthcare, a Fortune 500 healthcare company, providing critical therapies for life-threatening conditions.
Jim attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned a dual degree in Industrial Relations and Psychology.
Chris Sherrod
Vice President, Procurement
Chris Sherrod
Chris joined AFC in 1993 and currently serves as the Vice President of Materials Management. In his role, Chris runs AFC Purchasing, LLC and is responsible for procurement, contract management, inventory control, and fixed assets. He is also responsible for order fulfillment for medical supplies and equipment for AFC Franchising, LLC (subsidiary) and its franchise owners.
Chris has also served in several other capacities for AFC including; Lab Director, Birmingham Operations Director, and Purchasing Director.
Williiam Talley
Vice President, Facilities Management
William Talley
William joined AFC in 1995 and currently serves as the Vice President of Facilities Management. In his role, William is responsible for AFC’s facility development and day-to-day property management.
Prior to AFC, William spent 12 years in the construction industry with a focus on Building and Construction Management. During that time, he was a journeyman carpenter and an AGC Certified Trained Supervisor.
Salisia Valentine
Vice President, Provider Services
Salisia Valentine
Salisia joined AFC in 2015 and currently serves as the Vice President of Provider Services. In her role, Salisia oversees 140 Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants and coordinates with various internal departments to ensure smooth clinical operations and provider staffing. She actively works with Human Resources to facilitate preceptorship placement for future APPS, she works with Provider Services to ensure we remain a resource and support to all providers, and she works with Marketing as an active participant in community health fairs subject matter expert for Public Relations.
Prior to AFC, Salisia served as a Nurse Tech at Jacksonville Hospital (AL) and is now an actively practicing Family Nurse Practitioner.
Salisia attended Jacksonville State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She then continued her education at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, earning a Master of Science in Nursing.
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