News
American Specialty Health Names William M. Comer, Jr. CFO and Executive Vice President
SAN DIEGO (Oct 28, 2008) - American Specialty Health (ASH), a leading national health improvement organization, recently named William (Bill) M. Comer, Jr. chief financial officer and executive vice president. As CFO, Bill is responsible for the management and oversight of all financial matters for ASH.
Comer brings to ASH over 25 years of accounting, finance, and general management experience in publicly-owned and privately-held companies. Prior to joining ASH, Comer was vice president, audit and corporate compliance officer for Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, a publicly-held pharmaceuticals company based in Aliso Viejo, Calif. In this role, he was responsible on a global basis for managing Valeant’s internal audits, assuring compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 (“SOx 404”) internal controls requirements, monitoring and reporting on financial and non-financial regulatory compliance matters, promoting ethical standards, and performing special investigations.
Comer had also served as CFO of Valeant’s publicly-held research and development subsidiary, where he managed its accounting and financial operations, implemented SOx 404, participated in the initial implementation of several multi-million dollar global clinical trials, and started and managed a distributions company in Southeast Asia.
Comer has worked as CFO for several companies in the health care services industry, with a significant concentration on provider management organizations, including Premier Practice Management (PPM), Inc., which was a national physician practice management company based in San Diego, CA, and Presbyterian Healthcare Associates Corporation, a physician-hospital organization based in Charlotte, N.C. Comer is accomplished in mergers, acquisitions and start-ups, and is highly regarded for his team-building skills.
Comer spent eight years with two of the original Big 8 accounting firms. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of South Carolina. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association. “In an age of increasing economic concern, I am pleased to have someone like Bill join our team as chief financial officer,” said ASH CEO and chairman George DeVries. “Bill brings to ASH considerable skills and experience that I know will serve our company well.”
About American Specialty Health
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) provides specialty benefit programs, fitness programs, health coaching and incentives, Internet solutions, and worksite wellness programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide.