Carl Gerlach, CEO of Sonoma Valley Hospital, Joins ABL Organization

Santa Ana, CA — November 1, 2009 — Carl Gerlach, CEO of Sonoma Valley Hospital, 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.

Sonoma Valley Hospital, a fully accredited community hospital, is required to meet the same high standards of safety and staff credentialing that larger hospitals do. It was founded in 1946 as a non-profit district hospital with a publicly elected five-member Board of Directors. Today, more than 90 physicians enjoy staff privileges, representing all major specialty areas. Over 95 percent of active medical staff are board-certified in their specialties. Comprehensive services include: 24-hour Emergency Room and Intensive Care; Inpatient/Outpatient Surgery; Birth Center; Skilled Nursing Unit; Home Nursing Care; Rehabilitation Programs; Diagnostic Testing (including Cardiology and GI Lab); Occupational Health; Disease Management; and Registration Information.

Previously, Carl was a Manager at HFS Consultants, which provides expert consulting on healthcare and hospital materials management, clinical supply cost reduction, and supply contract review and management. Before that, he was CEO of East Bay Medical Network, and Executive Director of Livingston Community Health Services, Inc., of Livingston, CA.

Carl earned his BA degree at Occidental College and his MBA at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

"ABL Members strive to be one another’s most valuable advisory and sounding board," remarked Mimi Grant, President of ABL Organization. "Carl is going to be a great asset to that end."

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 .