New Faces in O&P Leadership

A conversation with Vinit Asar. In this two-part interview series, The O&P EDGE talks vision and goals with two company chiefs—each one a relative newcomer to O&P—to explore how they hope to impact the present and future of the industry. For this issue, The O&P EDGE spoke with Vinit Asar, president and chief executive officer of Hanger, Austin, Texas, who was appointed to Hanger's top leadership role in May 2012 after a little more than three years with the company and almost 20 years of global business operations experience in the medical device sector at Johnson & Johnson, headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey. O&P EDGE: What is the single most important thing in your organization? Asar: Instilling the belief in every single employee at Hanger that our service and our attitude toward our patients and customers matter every moment of every day. O&P EDGE: What is your vision for your organization? Asar: We have a companywide vision at Hanger that employees are reminded of each day. It is to be the partner of choice for services and products that enhance human physical capability. To be successful, we have to ensure we understand this responsibility to our patients and customers, each other, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work. Incorporating this vision into our approach each and every day is critical for success. O&P EDGE: What are your top goals for your organization? Asar: My agenda for Hanger revolves around the propagation of two significant elements—leadership and growth. Leadership must be exhibited in the way we approach our customers and our business partners. It must be evident in the way we enrich the industry and the profession. Business scholar Peter Drucker articulated it quite well when he said, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." Leadership is needed throughout all facets of an organization. Leaders don't just sit at the top; they emerge at all levels and can make an incredible difference to those around them, to those they serve, to those they inspire, and to the health of the organization as a whole. Growth is also critical on multiple levels. Business growth is pure oxygen; it nourishes our organization and allows us to invest in our people, our patients, and our communities. Growth also means professional development for all in this business. As we grow at Hanger, we also have a responsibility to our industry and the profession to advance our lot in the healthcare space. O&P EDGE: What challenges will you have to overcome to meet these goals? Asar: We must be cognizant of the uncertain healthcare and economic environment we live in today; however, I truly believe all challenges are opportunities. To achieve our goals, a strategic process that considers historical trends and keen foresight is critical. Combine that with the right talent, unwavering commitment, and a bit of grit, and you have real momentum to achieve your goals. I also believe we can't invest enough in the next generation of O&P professionals. I am committed to investing more in education and the schools that will produce the brightest future for our industry. O&P EDGE: Where do your organization's best ideas come from? Asar: Hanger's best ideas come from within our employee, patient, and customer bases. We must always be listening because great ideas can happen at any time. We also highly value the thoughts and ideas that come from our manufacturers, as these often spur more ideas that benefit our patients and customers. O&P EDGE: What characteristics do you believe every leader should possess? Asar: Integrity, conviction, courage, and compassion are traits I would want to see equally from all of our leaders. O&P EDGE: Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? How did this individual impact your life and career? Asar: My father has always had a tremendous impact on me. He has been a constant inspiration throughout my upbringing, my career, and as I raise my own family today. My dad was an entrepreneur and a successful businessman, but more than that he taught me the importance of integrity. His value system is something I always lean on when dealing with tough decisions or forging new pathways. O&P EDGE: How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization? Asar: We encourage our people to remove constraints they may think they have and to think beyond the everyday. Creativity and innovation are part of Hanger's six core values. We remind our associates that Hanger was founded by a young entrepreneur who used ingenuity and creativity to revolutionize the norm. It's a powerful history that we still embrace more than 150 years later. O&P EDGE: What is the biggest challenge facing the O&P industry today? Asar: The biggest challenge facing the O&P industry today is learning how to speak with one cohesive voice that can be heard at every level to help influence government and payers so we can provide the best possible service and outcomes to our patients and customers. O&P EDGE: Do you work with other business and/or thought leaders in the O&P industry to communicate core needs, values, and/or issues? If so, how do you do this? Asar: We frequently discuss industry needs, values, challenges, and opportunities with our manufacturing partners, our competitors, our customers, and our payers on a formal and informal basis. It's also important as leaders to network with other industries; by doing so, it brings in outside perspectives that keep the thinking fresh. Editor's note: In next month's issue of The O&P EDGE, we will speak with Kenneth Wilson, president and chief operating officer of SPS, headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

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New Faces in O&P Leadership

A conversation with Vinit Asar.

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