Center for Elders Independence Chief, Peter Szutu, Joins ABL Organization

Orange, CA — July 23, 2009 — Peter Szutu, President and CEO of the Center for Elders Independence (CEI), has joined the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization (ABL). As part of California’s leading vertical-industry Chief Executives’ Organization, ABL Members provide one another with executive leadership coaching through its confidential, professionally-facilitated, peer-CEO Advisory Board Round Tables, executive learning workshops, network of CEO peers, and expert resources.

CEI provides the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a relatively new Medicare benefit and an optional Medicaid benefit in 30 states. PACE specifically serves frail seniors, 55 years and older, who must meet their state's Medicaid criteria for nursing home care. PACE provides all-inclusive care to help frail seniors remain in their homes and communities as long as it is medically and socially feasible. Customized care is developed and implemented by a large interdisciplinary team. Over 90% of recipients report satisfaction with the care they receive. Since joining CEI in 1994, Peter has nurtured its growth from 80 participants to over 440, from one site to four. He has developed collaborative and innovative ways to utilize the flexibility of the PACE model, including locating sites in conjunction with affordable senior housing and working closely with other community healthcare providers to offer a full continuum of care, from well through frail.

Peter has 30 years of healthcare and human services experience, from being a medic in the U.S. Air Force to directing a multi-social service agency, from independent health services consultant to his current position. He has extensive experience in providing, planning, advocating and implementing a broad range of community-oriented health and human services. He has worked for the City of Berkeley as a health planner and the California State Department of Health Services in the Office of External Affairs. He was closely involved in the development of three of the four adult day healthcare programs in Alameda County. He served as President of the Board of Community Adult Day Health Services (CADHS) and initiated the evolution of CADHS to become CEI. He served as interim executive director of CEI from July 1993 to January 1994, and became the permanent executive director in March 1995.  

Peter has provided national PACE leadership for years and is now the Chair of the National PACE Association’s Board of Directors. He is also a Board Member of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. His affiliations include the NPA Public Policy Committee, Board Vice-Chair, Over 60/CEI, Inc.,  the Aging Services of California, Board of Directors – Public Policy Committee, and CalPACE, Secretary of the Board. Peter holds a Master’s degree in Public Health Administration from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s degree from the United States International University.

About the Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization
ABL supports the needs of its Member CEOs by providing a place for top-level executives to draw on the experience, knowledge and skill sets of their peers in a vertical industry, personal advisory board – “multi-coach approach” – setting.

The core component of the CEO Membership experience is the group Round Table meeting. Members meet once a month for a half-day with a group of peer CEOs, Presidents, COOs and Division General Managers from non-competing companies, all from the same industry (healthcare, technology or life sciences), in a trusted and confidential board room-like setting, which allows ABL Members to tackle topics and enhance their decision making and business performance. Topics include: developing and honing new business strategies and best practices, new lines of business, “A-players” on the management team, and an effective board of directors, as well as understanding trends in new markets, mergers and acquisitions, compensation, and other “hot” topics brought to the Round Tables by the Members themselves.

ABL Members also gather several times a year at workshops and conferences to exchange ideas and connect with other chief executives beyond their own CEO peer groups. In effect, ABL Members serve as one another’s business coaches within the Round Tables and are encouraged to connect and leverage their co-Member peers’ particular skills and expertise for additional leadership coaching, one-on-one, outside of their monthly group meeting. In addition, each Round Table’s facilitator also serves as an objective business advisor, offering executive and industry insights and advice.

 ABL's Chief Executive Leadership Development Round Table program is currently offered in California's Greater Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco County areas. More information about the ABL Organization can be found at http://www.abl.org .