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Executive Management Team
John G. Beard MBA/JD
President of Alacare Home Health & Hospice, Alabama’s oldest and largest privately owned home health agency.
Since November of 1976, John has been employed by Alacare. He currently serves as Alacare's Chairman and President.
He earned his BS in Business Administration from Auburn University in 1972 and a Masters in Business Administration at Samford University in 1976. That same year, John earned a Juris Doctorate degree at Cumberland School of Law. John is a Member of the Alabama Bar Association, American Bar Association and American Health Lawyers Association.
John served on the Organizing Committee and initial Board of Directors of the Alabama Home Care Association (AHCA) and held various Offices in AHCA. He was recognized as AHCA's Home Health Director of the Year in 1995. John was also on the Steering Committee and initial Board of Directors the American Federation of Home Health Agencies, Inc. (now part of the American Association for HomeCare, Inc. - AAHomeCare) John held various Offices, including serving as AFHHA's President, Secretary and Treasurer. Currently, he serves on two AAHomeCare Councils: Home Health Care and Regulatory Policy.
He serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Health Related Professions.
Additionally, John serves on the Board of Directors of the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation, Inc., Alabama's Quality Improvement Organization; as well as on the Alabama Home Medical Equipment Licensure Board, the State Regulatory Board for Licensing and regulating Alabama's HME Companies. He is the Chair of the Board of Visitors of the Capstone College of Nursing located on the Campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa; a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Auburn School of Nursing; Chair of the Community Advisory Board of the Center for Palliative Care at the University of Alabama in Birmingham; Chair of the Alabama Nurses Foundation which raises scholarship funds for Nurses pursuing graduate degrees to be Nursing School faculty; a member of the Board of Counselors of the Center of Aging at the University of Alabama in Birmingham; a member of the Client Advisory Board of Outcomes Concept Systems; a Director of Alzheimer's of Central Alabama; and a past member of the HoneyWell-HomMed Partner Advisory Board.
In 2002, he was selected by the Birmingham Business Journal to be in its initial class of the "Birmingham Top 100 in HealthCare." In 2004, Alacare was selected by the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business of the Year in its category and also received one of McKesson's 2004 VIP Awards. He has been selected by the Alabama State Nurses Association as its 2006 Outstanding Non-Member.
John is an Active Member of the Shades Valley Chapter of Rotary International. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. He has served on its Board since 1997 and was the 2005-2006 Club President. He is a Trustee of Shades Valley's Educational Foundation. He is also a Trustee and Chairman's Circle Member of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a Director of the Greater Alabama Council of Boy Scouts of America and serves on its Executive Council.
John is married to the former Louise Hall, also of Birmingham. They have a son who is a graduate of The University of Alabama and a Daughter who graduated from Middlebury College and now lives and works in Canada.
Susan Beard Brouillette MPH, MBA
CEO of Alacare Home Health & Hospice, Alabama’s oldest and largest privately owned home health agency.
Susan earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1986 and earned both a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1988. Following graduation, she joined Alacare in a full-time capacity, first as the Director of Community Relations and Education, then as Associate Director of Administrative Services, and finally moving into the CEO position.
Alacare has been recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as one of the area's Top 100 Privately Held Corporations due to Susan’s leadership. Alacare is listed on the Birmingham Business Journal’s list of the largest women owned businesses in the Birmingham area. In 2002, Susan was honored as one of the Birmingham Business Journal's “Top 40 Under 40.” She also received a nomination for the Birmingham Business Journal Rising Star Award for 2003.
Susan is on the Board of the Hospice & Home Health Fund of Alabama (HHHFA), Alacare’s non-profit organization that provides monetary assistance to help hospice and home health patients throughout the state stay in their homes. The aid is available to any qualifying homebound or hospice patient in Alabama—not just Alacare patients. Ms. Brouillette is a tireless fundraiser for the HHHFA, which has a special place in her heart because it was founded by her parents, Mary Sue and Charles D. Beard, Jr.
In her work at Alacare, Susan sees every day the need for terminally ill and critically ill patients to receive adequate management of their pain and other symptoms. With that in mind, Susan, along with her brother, John G. Beard, JD, MBA, spearheaded the fundraising effort for the UAB Center for Palliative Care and they have sponsored the Alacare Family Room there.
In addition, Susan is an active member of the Shades Valley Rotary Club, providing hands-on assistance to local groups and working directly with the Rotary InterAct Club at Mountain Brook High School. Susan has served as treasurer and as president of the Shades Valley Rotary Club. Susan was the recipient of the Shades Valley Rotary Club’s 2005 Vocational Achievement Award.
She serves on the Board of the American Cancer Society and feels strongly about supporting their community education and outreach. She was the co-chairperson of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama 2006 Founders Dinner that raised funds for building a new house where critically ill children and their families can stay during treatment.
Because Susan also feels strongly that successful people need to nurture the next generation of business professionals, she participates in events like the UAB School of Public Health Alumni Career Round Table.
Gregory D. Breemes
Chief Operating Officer
Greg oversees day-to-day operations at Alacare, including business development and strategy. Greg has been working in the health industry since 1977, with eight years senior level experience in companies with multi-branch operations.
Greg brings to the Alacare team proven leadership and solid managerial experience. He is committed tapping into new markets and ensuring employee retention in an ever-changing healthcare environment. Greg’s focus will lie in increasing productivity and profitability without sacrificing the human touch.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Finance from South Dakota State University in 1976, Greg began his career as a Pharmaceutical Manager and at White Hall Laboratories / American Home Products. A top performer there, his position entailed hiring, training and supervising the sales force for several states throughout the Midwest. He then moved to Jefferson Pilot Financial, a Fortune 100 company, growing the sales force by 1000% over his seven-year tenure.
Greg returned to the health industry in 1997, taking a Marketing & Sales Director position at Innovex / Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Parsippany, NJ. Greg oversaw hundreds of executives, who managed multi-million deals for the company. He was annual recognized as one of the top Regional Directors and named Regional Sales Director of the Year in 1999. Greg continues his distinguished career with a move to Gentiva Health Services in Melville, NY. As Vice President of Sales & Business Development, he managed to increase patient admissions while also overseeing the business’s operational budget.
Before moving to Alacare, Greg served as Regional Vice President of Operations and Business Development at Dallas-based Odyssey HealthCare & Hospice. He worked directly with the company’s executive directors and directed the vision for 820 home care and hospice employees.
Susan Freeman, RN
Chief Administrative Officer
Susan oversees many of the day to day support services at Alacare, including Information Technology, and Facilities as Chief Administrative Officer
Susan Freeman has been a nurse for 24 years with over 21 years of homecare management experience. Her career includes vast amounts of nursing supervisory experience in many roles leading up to her arrival at Alacare Home Health & Hospice as a Regional manager in 1993.
When Alacare saw the need to develop computerized documentation systems, Susan’s clinical and managerial experience was utilized with her being named Director of Business Applications and Support and later Director of Information Systems.
In these roles Susan consulted other homecare agencies on automation, technology and workflow optimization. She was the recipient of McKesson’s New Horizon Award and was instrumental in Alacare receiving the 2007 McKesson VIP Award.
Susan has been called upon numerous times to be a speaker for national conferences such as, NAHC, Profit Through Technology, Horizon User Conference and the Homecare HomeBase User Conference.
Susan has been married for 24 years and is most proud of her two wonderful children; Hayley, who is studying Special Needs Child Education, and Alex, who received a Purple Heart during his deployment to Iraq, and served in the U.S. Army.
Nanette Sims - Perry, JD
Compliance Officer/General Counsel
Nanette assists with oversight of operations to limit risks and legal exposure. She works with all Alacare staff to promote the Agency's culture of compliance with all applicable rules and regulations governing business operations.
Prior to joining Alacare in 1994, Nanette practiced law at Sirote Permutt in the healthcare and business area. Nannette graduated from Samford University with a degree in Public Administration and received her law degree from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.
Luther E. (Gene) Sykes
Chief Financial Officer
Gene oversees all company finance and accounting practices, including Finance/Accounting, Billing and Collections, and Purchasing departments. Including the direction of budget preparations, financial reports, tax, and audit functions, as well as directing financial strategy, planning and forecasts; conferring with Chief Officers and Department Directors. He is also responsible for studying, analyzing and reporting on trends, opportunities for expansion and projection of future company growth.
Gene joined Alacare in 1993. Prior to being named CFO at Alacare in 2002, he served as the Chief Administrative Officer at Alacare for 9 years. Previous experience includes 16 years as CFO and Assistant Administrator in a hospital environment.
Gene attended Delta State University and received his Bachelor's of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Mississippi.
