Apria Appoints Healthcare Industry Veterans Susannah Gray and Terri Kline to Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Apria has appointed Susannah Gray and Terri Kline to its Board of Directors, enhancing its leadership with extensive healthcare experience. Gray has held executive roles in finance at Royalty Pharma and various board positions, while Kline has strong advisory expertise in healthcare, including executive positions at Henry Ford Health System. CEO Dan Starck emphasized that their addition will support Apria's growth and commitment to improving patient care at home.

Positive

• Appointment of Susannah Gray and Terri Kline strengthens the Board's expertise in healthcare.
• Both appointees bring significant leadership experience, potentially enhancing strategic decision-making.

Negative

• Concerns about continuity may arise due to the integration of new board members with different perspectives.

INDIANAPOLIS, May 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apria, Inc. (the “Company” or “Apria”) (Nasdaq: APR) announced today that it has appointed Susannah Gray and Terri Kline to the Company’s Board of Directors. Both will serve on the Board’s Audit Committee.

Gray possesses a wealth of experience in healthcare leadership, serving in board of director and committee capacities at 4D Molecular Therapeutics, Maravai Life Sciences, Morphic Therapeutics, BioSplice Therapeutics, Wesleyan University, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Street Squash and the German Marshall Fund. She also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Royalty Pharma, the largest aggregator of pharmaceutical royalty interests worldwide, and held roles at Chase Securities, Merrill Lynch and CIBC World Markets. Gray holds a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University.

Kline brings to Apria deep expertise in healthcare advisory and currently serves on the boards of Amedisys, Intersect ENT, SaVida Health and Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President of Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), as President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Alliance Plan – a subsidiary of HFHS – and as Senior Vice President and Chief Health Care Management Officer of Health Care Service Corporation. Kline holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College.

“With decades of combined experience in healthcare leadership and advisory, Susannah Gray and Terri Kline significantly strengthen the expertise of our Company’s Board of Directors,” said Dan Starck, Chief Executive Officer of Apria. “Our executive leadership and board are pleased to add two individuals with their stellar reputations, and both will undoubtedly help guide us through our next phase of growth, as we continue to strive to improve the quality of life for our patients at home.”

About Apria

Apria is a leading provider of integrated home healthcare equipment and related services in the United States. The Company offers a comprehensive range of products and services for in-home care and delivery across three core service lines: (1) home respiratory therapy (including home oxygen and non-invasive ventilation (“NIV”) services); (2) obstructive sleep apnea (“OSA”) treatment (including continuous positive airway pressure (“CPAP”) and bi-level positive airway pressure devices, and patient support services); and (3) negative pressure wound therapy (“NPWT”). Additionally, the Company supplies a wide range of home medical equipment and other products and services to help improve the quality of life for patients with home care needs. Our revenues are generated through fee-for-service and capitation arrangements with payors for equipment, supplies, services and other items we rent or sell to patients. Through our offerings, we also provide patients with a variety of clinical and administrative support services and related products and supplies, most of which are prescribed by a physician as part of a care plan. We are focused on being the industry’s highest-quality provider of home healthcare equipment and related services, while maintaining our commitment to being a low-cost operator. The Company serves over 2 million patients annually and offers a compelling value proposition to patients, providers and payors by allowing patients to receive necessary care and services in the comfort of their own home, while, at the same time, reducing the costs of treatment. Learn more at www.apria.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expectations regarding the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the future performance and financial results of our business and other non-historical statements.  Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “predicts,” “intends,” “trends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, among others, risks related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the profitability of our capitation arrangements, renegotiation or termination of our contracts, reimbursements by payors, our reliance on relatively few vendors, competition in the home healthcare industry, the inherent risk of liability in the provision of healthcare services, and reductions in Medicare and Medicaid and commercial payor reimbursement rates.  Additional factors that could cause our actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the “Risk Factors" section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2020, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Additional information will also be set forth in Apria’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021, which is expected to be filed on or about the date of this press release.  These reports are or will be accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in the Company’s filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. 

Investor Contacts
Bob.East@westwicke.com 
Kevin.ellich@westwicke.com

Media Contacts
Mark.Corbae@westwicke.com 
Kyle.Evans@westwicke.com 

FAQ

What are the qualifications of the new board members at Apria?

Susannah Gray has extensive healthcare and financial experience, while Terri Kline brings deep expertise in healthcare advisory.

When were Susannah Gray and Terri Kline appointed to the Board of Apria?

They were appointed on May 14, 2021.

How will the new board members impact Apria's growth strategy?

Their leadership experience is expected to guide Apria through significant growth initiatives in home healthcare.

What roles will Susannah Gray and Terri Kline hold in Apria's governance?

They will serve on the Board's Audit Committee, contributing to financial oversight.