Our Leadership

From Our CEO

Through the 95 years we’ve been in business, we have developed meaningful partnerships and cultivated successful experiences in the many industries we serve—whether healthcare, government, or business and industry. 

Our long history dates back to 1946 as a pioneer in the group purchasing industry, and to 1925 through our legacy non-profit organization. A key thread in our long history is our ability to bring individuals and organizations together and leverage the power of the group to make things better. At Pandion, our mission is to provide members access to more valuable services, information, and resources than any single organization could assemble on its own. Whatever the service, we’re convinced we can help your company or organization exceed its goals. Moreover, our strong, dedicated leaders can customize solutions to fit your needs.

I invite you to learn more about how our alliance at Pandion can help you optimize your organization.

 

Gratefully,
Signature of Travis R. Heide

Travis Heider
President & Chief Executive Officer
Pandion Optimization Alliance

Pandion provides the most cost effective purchasing services available and introduces a variety of innovative programs and resources to our members. Our staff is here to help all our members stay sharp, flexible, and focused on the needs and concerns of today's ever-changing, cost-conscious environment. Please contact any member of our team; we would be happy to connect with you.

Pandion Senior Management Team


Travis Heider

Travis Heider

President & Chief Executive Officer

Travis Heider leads all three companies within Pandion Optimization Alliance. Growing revenue has been the priority in his tenure, he has led Pandion National in achieving 28% revenue growth since 2018 and Pandion Regional has grown 69% over the last three years. Furthermore, Pandion now has over 12,000 members across the country both along the continuum of healthcare and in business and industry. Stewarding an aggressive strategic growth plan, including M & A activity and diversifying revenue lines is paramount to his responsibilities. With the Pandion Board Chair, he leads the Board of Directors and works closely with Pandion’s strategic partners. Pandion is an equity partner of Premier Inc., where Travis serves on Premiers Board Advisory Council.

He is also a member of the global leadership community of chief executives, Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), and serves on the Empire State Chapter Board of Directors as the Assistant Learning Chair. Furthermore, he is on the Board of the Bill Cook Foundation, which inspires a future of hope, one child at a time, in the poorest areas of the world. Prior to Pandion, Travis spent 13 years at the American Diabetes Association and also worked in state and local government as an elected official in Monroe County. He has a Master’s in Science degree from Springfield College and a Bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

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Karen Yacono

Karen Yacono

Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President

Karen Yacono provides the leadership, management, and vision necessary to ensure that Pandion Optimization Alliance has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and human resources systems in place to effectively grow each branch. She provides financial oversight for Pandion Optimization Alliance, including: forecasting, business development, corporate compliance, strategic planning, and mergers & acquisitions.

Karen joined Pandion (f.k.a. Rochester Regional Healthcare Association) in 1993, steadily receiving various promotions before being appointed as Chief Finance Officer and Executive Vice President in 2016. During her tenure, Karen has successfully written and administered two Healthcare Workforce Retraining Initiative Grants for membership (total grant awards were in excess of $1.7 million), organized and coordinated multiple education programs for committees, planned Compliance and Human Resources conferences, and conducted various surveys on behalf of the Pandion Healthcare Association (fka: Rochester Regional Healthcare Association) membership. 

Karen currently serves as a Trustee on the Healthcare Association of New York State Group Insurance GIT, a Board Advisor to Marche Health, and Board President for the Pinnacle School and Pinnacle Early Years.

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Jeanie Smith

Jeanie Smith

Chief Operating Officer

Jeanie Smith is responsible for revenue and growth of Pandion Optimization Alliance. She oversees day to day operations including Member Services, as well as the overall vision and mission for Pandion, including conceptualizing and formulating their strategic direction.

Jeanie has a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Fredonia and Master’s degree in Business Administration from St. John Fisher College.

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John Coyle

John Coyle

Chief Revenue Officer

John Coyle stewards Pandion's new member growth band also creates new strategic partnerships and acquisitions. John directs and coordinates the daily operation, management, and direction of the Pandion Optimization Alliance’s Healthcare team. His group provides strategic guidance to member organizations in the areas of cost reduction, supply chain management, and industry best practices. Prior to joining Pandion, he worked in marketing and communications at St. Ann’s Community. John has a Bachelor's degree in Organization Management and is working to complete a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration.

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Ryan Burke

Ryan Burke

Vice President, Strategic Sourcing

Ryan Burke leads Pandion Optimization Alliance's Sourcing Department. He is responsible for product planning, vendor sourcing, contract negotiations, and contract management of regional and national purchasing agreements. Prior to joining Pandion, he held progressively advanced roles in supply chain management at Rochester Regional Health and was most recently the Director of Materials Management. Ryan has a Master’s degree in Health System Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology.     

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Matt Bowles

Matt Bowles

Vice President, Strategic Development

Matt Bowles is responsible for leading Pandion's growth team with team members spread across the nation.  Matt consults with current and potential partners and is responsible for implementing strategies to achieve the company's long-term strategic goals and objectives.

 Prior to joining Pandion, Matt was the Vice President of Sales for GroupSource, which was acquired by Pandion in July of 2022.  Matt was an integral part in building out a new growth model that accounted for GroupSource member volume to increase 3x in less than 3 years.  Matt has a Bachelor's of Science degree from North Carolina State University.

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Rebecca Hedges

Rebecca Hedges

Vice President, Finance

Rebecca Hedges oversees the financial operations at Pandion Optimization Alliance. She drives the organization’s strategic goals and initiatives from a financial perspective and collaborates with business leads to identify and achieve growth opportunities and operating efficiencies. Rebecca also manages day to day financial reporting and is responsible for all M&A transactions and integrations.

Prior to joining Pandion, Rebecca was a Senior Manager in Deals advisory at PwC in Boston, specializing in financial due diligence. While at PwC, she worked on various buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions ranging from $10M to $5B in purchase price, advising clients on financial and operational trends, valuation and cash flow considerations, and synergy opportunities, among other special projects. She began her career working as an external auditor at PwC.

Rebecca is a Certified Public Accountant and has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Accounting Information Systems and a MBA in Accounting from Canisius College. 

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Karen Eldridge

Karen Eldridge

Vice President, Operations

Karen Eldridge is responsible for managing Pandion operations and streamlining processes for greater efficiency and scalability.

Prior to joining Pandion, Karen was the Vice President of Operations for GroupSource, which was acquired by Pandion in July of 2022. Karen was instrumental in streamlining processes to accommodate an accelerated rate of growth at GroupSource. Karen has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Georgetown University.

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Todd Havranek

Todd Havranek

Senior Director of Strategic Services

Todd leads Pandion’s Strategic Services, including their E-Commerce business, tactical vendor agreements, and acute care account management. Prior to joining Pandion Optimization Alliance, he worked at Xerox Corporation where he held a variety of positions throughout the Supply Chain with a vast array of experience in manufacturing, distribution, project management, and operational excellence. Todd holds a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Geneseo, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from St. John Fisher College, and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt

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Brendon Frazer

Brendon Frazer

Director of Marketing and AI

Brendon Frazer leads Pandion Optimization Alliance's strategic outreach. Prior to joining Pandion, Brendon created and led Marketing, Business Development, and E-Commerce Departments as well as founded and successfully steered a marketing business.

At Pandion, he oversees all aspects of our networks marketing journeys. Beyond traditional marketing realms, Brendon pioneers the ethical integration of artificial intelligence into Pandion's strategies, crafting a future where technology amplifies connection, value, and growth for every partner in Pandion's expansive network.

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