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CleveMed Management

Meet the Team!

Management Team

Hani Kayyali

President & CEO

Mr. Kayyali has over 25 years medical device experience. Mr. Kayyali has been president of CleveMed since 2005. He successfully transitioned the company from a research firm to a fast growing company by spinning off 3 companies, building a highly talented team focused on sleep disorders, establishing strategic partnerships, and securing significant investments in CleveMed. As a result, CleveMed developed a wide array of sleep products and web-based solutions that are leading the market with consistent double digit growth rates. Mr. Kayyali is a board member of CleveMed. Prior to joining CleveMed, Mr. Kayyali held managerial positions in two startups, Biomec and Axon Engineering, and played critical roles in their technology growth and ultimate successful exits. Mr. Kayyali received his masters in biomedical engineering and MBA from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Mr. Kayyali has over 8 issued patents, and more than 25 publications. Mr. Kayyali is the President of the FES Institute and sits on the Industrial Advisory Board for the BME dept. at CWRU.

Brian Kolkowski, PhD

Executive Vice President, General Counsel
Dr. Kolkowski serves as general counsel for Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. He brings over 25 years of corporate and law firm experience with a particular emphasis in the areas of intellectual property protection, technology transfer, mergers/acquisitions, and complex transactions, and manages CleveMed’s general legal work as well as intellectual property work and their many strategic partners in healthcare, the government, and academia. Previously, Dr. Kolkowski represented a number of Fortune 500 companies as their senior counsel, and as an officer, and has been directly involved in technology startups. Dr. Kolkowski holds a Ph.D in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a JD from the University of Toledo-College of Law. Dr. Kolkowski is a licensed Patent Attorney who practices extensively before the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as in many state and federal courts. As a CleveMed board member and officer, he is routinely called upon to draw from his background expertise in engineering, manufacturing and the law.

Tim Kowalski

MD, CPE, CleveMed Medical Director
Dr. Kowalski has more than 30 years sleep medicine experience. He has been a physician executive for nineteen years. He has been involved in various financial, quality assurance, human resource, strategic planning, disease management, health benefit plan design, and special projects during this time. He has completed the Certified Physician Executive program from the American College of Physician Executives focusing on health care quality, managing change, informatics, and managing physician performance. Dr. Kowalski is the Chief Medical Officer of Progressive Auto Insurance responsible for the direction of corporate onsite medical clinics, employee assistance programs, fitness centers, and wellness programs. Dr. Kowalski is also the Director and physician owner of Northshore Respiratory and Sleep Services providing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine services. Prior experiences include Director of internal medicine at University Mednet. Dr. Kowalski has numerous publications and is the winner of many awards including physician of the year at Lake Hospital System in 1994. He is board certified in internal, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

Sarah Weimer

Vice President of Sleep Services and Products
Since joining CleveMed in 2003, Mrs. Weimer has managed the successful release of four sleep disorder monitors, and comprehensive web-based testing services that include sleep study overview by a network of sleep specialists licensed in all 50 states. She has structured a high quality team, and created efficient technical support and training processes resulting in exceptional customer service. She is responsible for overall marketing which successfully opened a number of new markets for CleveMed’s home sleep testing solution yielding consistent double digit growth in those markets. Her strong background in regulatory affairs and training promote excellence in product compliance. She has a bachelor of science magna cum laude in biomedical engineering from Wright State University.

Yvonne Schaffer

Manager of Accounting & Human Resources

Yvonne Schaffer is CleveMed’s Manager of Accounting & Human Resources. Her career began at RCA and her tenure there lasted fourteen years. The fourteen years included positions in customer service, inside sales, accounts payable, accounts receivable and eventually management. Prior to joining CleveMed, her Accounting experience includes, but is not limited to the following industries, Manufacturing, Service, Distribution and Non-Profit. Experience in these industries includes financial modeling, inventory control, product costing, job costing and process streamlining. Her experience in the Human Resource arena includes Performance Management, Recruitment, Compensation & Benefits, Training & Development, Payroll and Worker’s Compensation.

Daniel Charnigo

Manager Software Engineering

Daniel Charnigo brings 18 years of software development experience to CleveMed. Before joining the team, he worked with banking applications, education, logistics, and E-Commerce platforms all utilizing Microsoft technologies and web frameworks. He also has 8 years of experience with the Azure Cloud platform. This experience coupled with CleveMed’s sleep experience and technology will move the company to new heights and enhance our ability to quickly and efficiently upgrade our SleepView Portal to meet customers’ demands. He has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University.

Matthew Tarler, PhD

Senior Director of Quality and Regulatory, R & D
Dr. Tarler holds a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, is a principal investigator on a number of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and has numerous awards, over 30 publications, and 8 issued patents to his name. With over a dozen years of experience at CleveMed, Dr. Tarler has been instrumental in the development of a wide array of technologies that have resulted in patents and commercial products alike. Some of Dr. Tarler’s recent work includes co-inventing a new self-abrading and rapidly applied EEG electrode, designing and developing a device for delivering a controlled level of CO2 to treat patients with chemoreflex-modulated sleep disorder, design and development of a new echolocation device to determine the actual location of apnea obstructions, investigating a new and novel use of electrical stimulation to treat chemoreflex-modulated sleep disorder patients, and developing a new and novel sleep monitors with minimal sensors.

Board of Directors

Robert N. Schmidt

CleveMed Founder, Chairman

Robert N. Schmidt founded Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. (CleveMed) in 1990 and is currently the chairman of CleveMed. He holds a BS in mechanical engineering, and MS, MBA, JD degrees. He is an attorney, patent attorney, and professional engineer. Prior to starting this company, Mr. Schmidt worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Davy McKee Corporation, Life Systems Inc., and the Center for Materials for Space Structures, a NASA Center at Case Western Reserve University. He holds over 50 United States patents in sleep diagnosis, physiological recording devices, electrodes, flight control, radio design, electrophysiology, pressure sore prevention, chemical defense, and Braille displays. Mr. Schmidt has been repeatedly honored for his innovations through awards in biotechnology and entrepreneurial endeavors. He has been a driving force in revolutionizing the wireless technologies that have inspired medical device growth in our industry, and led the team that developed the world’s first FDA approved digital wireless EEG machine. For more information, you can find Mr. Schmidt on Linked-In.

Hani Kayyali

President & CEO

Mr. Kayyali has over 25 years medical device experience. Mr. Kayyali has been president of CleveMed since 2005. He successfully transitioned the company from a research firm to a fast growing company by spinning off 3 companies, building a highly talented team focused on sleep disorders, establishing strategic partnerships, and securing significant investments in CleveMed. As a result, CleveMed developed a wide array of sleep products and web-based solutions that are leading the market with consistent double digit growth rates. Mr. Kayyali is a board member of CleveMed. Prior to joining CleveMed, Mr. Kayyali held managerial positions in two startups, Biomec and Axon Engineering, and played critical roles in their technology growth and ultimate successful exits. Mr. Kayyali received his masters in biomedical engineering and MBA from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Mr. Kayyali has over 8 issued patents, and more than 25 publications. Mr. Kayyali is the President of the FES Institute and sits on the Industrial Advisory Board for the BME dept. at CWRU.

Brian Kolkowski, PhD

Executive Vice President, General Counsel
Dr. Kolkowski serves as general counsel for Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. He brings over 25 years of corporate and law firm experience with a particular emphasis in the areas of intellectual property protection, technology transfer, mergers/acquisitions, and complex transactions, and manages CleveMed’s general legal work as well as intellectual property work and their many strategic partners in healthcare, the government, and academia. Previously, Dr. Kolkowski represented a number of Fortune 500 companies as their senior counsel, and as an officer, and has been directly involved in technology startups. Dr. Kolkowski holds a Ph.D in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a JD from the University of Toledo-College of Law. Dr. Kolkowski is a licensed Patent Attorney who practices extensively before the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as in many state and federal courts. As a CleveMed board member and officer, he is routinely called upon to draw from his background expertise in engineering, manufacturing and the law.

Josh Reno, Midmark

Director, Financial Planning and Analysis Finance

Mr. Reno has been recently appointed Director of Corporate Development at Midmark Corporation. He has over 20 years of Finance leadership experience, the past 8 of which have been within FP&A at Midmark. Prior to joining Midmark, Mr. Reno spent 1 year as a Controller at a manufacturing plant for ConAgra Foods and 11 years in a variety of Finance Management roles at Procter and Gamble. His experiences include acquisition integration, strategic financial planning, modeling and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, cost accounting, and general ledger accounting. Mr. Reno has a bachelor of science summa cum laude in business from Wright State University, where he also played Division 1 college baseball.

Robert Knecht Schmidt

B.S., M.S., J.D., M.B.A.

Robert is a patent attorney at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Sterne Kessler, where he drafts and prosecutes patent applications in electrical and computer fields to secure broad protection for inventions. He has extensive experience before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and has contributed to successful appeals to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Robert previously worked as an in-house patent agent and patent attorney for CleveMed and its sister companies. In the 1990s, Robert contributed computer-drawn illustrations to early CleveMed documents and designed the first iteration of the CleveMed website.

Medical Advisory Council

Tim Kowalski

MD, CPE, CleveMed Medical Director
Dr. Kowalski has more than 30 years sleep medicine experience. He has been a physician executive for nineteen years. He has been involved in various financial, quality assurance, human resource, strategic planning, disease management, health benefit plan design, and special projects during this time. He has completed the Certified Physician Executive program from the American College of Physician Executives focusing on health care quality, managing change, informatics, and managing physician performance. Dr. Kowalski is the Chief Medical Officer of Progressive Auto Insurance responsible for the direction of corporate onsite medical clinics, employee assistance programs, fitness centers, and wellness programs. Dr. Kowalski is also the Director and physician owner of Northshore Respiratory and Sleep Services providing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine services. Prior experiences include Director of internal medicine at University Mednet. Dr. Kowalski has numerous publications and is the winner of many awards including physician of the year at Lake Hospital System in 1994. He is board certified in internal, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

Thomas D. Schwieterman

MD, Midmark Corporation, Medical Director

Dr. Tom Schwieterman is the Medical Director for Midmark Corporation, the most trusted name in the field of medical, dental and veterinary examination and procedure equipment, dedicated to helping healthcare providers deliver the most efficient patient care. In this position, “Dr. Tom” supports Midmark’s focus on new technologies and emerging trends as they look toward future markets. His special focus is on the optimal ways health information technology can improve provider efficiency and patient outcomes.

Prior to joining Midmark in 2007, Dr. Tom studied family medicine at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan, attaining the role of chief resident and president of the hospital resident staff. After residency, he operated a successful private practice in rural Ohio. Seeing inefficiencies in his workflow, Dr. Tom created a medical software product called “Chartscribe”. This product made a significant impact on the way he practiced medicine. Microsoft Corporation recognized Dr. Tom as a leading innovator in health information technology in 2003.

Dr. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in software engineering from Miami University, Ohio and a Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He remains board certified in family practice.

Mike Papsidero

MD, FACS

Dr. Papsidero is an ENT surgeon with over 30 years’ experience in various clinical and administrative capacities. His past positions include Vice President medical operations and quality west region at Cleveland Clinic, Vice President medical affairs Summa Health system, Chairman dept. of surgery at Marymount hospital, senior consultant/Pay for Performance at Medical Mutual of Ohio, President and managing physician of Cleveland Ear Nose and Throat centers and co-Director sleep disorders laboratory at Marymount Hospital. Dr. Papsidero has numerous professional affiliations including American College of Physician Executives and American College of Medical Quality. Dr. Papsidero’s post doctorate achievements include Professional Fellow from Weatherhead School of management. He sits on numerous committees, gave numerous presentations and lectures and the winner of many awards including Preceptor of the Year, Ohio University Family Practice Program (2000). He is board certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.

Wendy L. Wright

MS, RN, ARNP, FNP, FAANP

Mrs. Wright has over 18 years of experience as an adult and family nurse practitioner, and the owner of two nurse practitioner-owned and operated clinics within New Hampshire. In addition, she is a partner with Partners in Healthcare Education, a medical education company. She is the past president of Nurse Practitioner Association for Continuing Education (NPACE) and the senior lecturer for Fitzgerald Health Education Associates. She won numerous awards including the 1999 recipient of the New Hampshire State Excellence Award from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the 2009 NH Nurse Practitioner of the Year award. In 2005, Mrs. Wright was inducted as a Fellow into AANP; a position held by only 350 other nurse practitioners throughout the country. Mrs. Wright is the founder of the NH Chamber of Entrepreneurial Nurse Practitioners, an organization designed to assist nurse practitioners with independent practice issues. Mrs. Wright is serving as the co-chair for the 2013 AANP clinical conference in Las Vegas. She presents nationally to different audiences and has been a speaker at over 1000 conferences in 46 states. Mrs. Wright is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Wyoming – Graduate Nursing Program and in the Simmons College DNP program in Boston. She is a 1992 graduate of the Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and completed a family nurse practitioner post-master’s program in 1995.

Mark F. Victor

MD, FACC

Dr. Victor is a cardiologist with over 30-years experience in various clinical and managerial capacities, including being a board certified practicing physician executive for nineteen years. He is the CEO of Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia; one of the largest cardiology practices in the US with over 90 physicians. He has been a member in more than 20 medical and management committees and boards, including the Cardiology Advocacy Institute of Philadelphia, and Medical Protective Insurance Company to name a few. He is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Drexel University of Medicine. He has more than 25 publications and has been actively involved in more than 25 research projects. He is currently a member of many societies including the Pennsylvania Medical Society, American College of Cardiology, and American Heart Association. He is board certified in cardiology.