Paramedics Plus is expanding its executive leadership team as it adds ambulance service contracts in locations around the country. Debbie Vass has been promoted to director of quality initiatives for Paramedics Plus and John Peterson has been promoted to chief administrative officer for Sunstar Paramedics.
Vass is the first female executive in Paramedics Plus’ 17-year history. As director of quality initiatives, she will oversee corporate strategic planning, quality dashboard implementation and the overall vision of Paramedics Plus, a safety and emergency services (EMS) system management organization that provides paramedic ambulance services to Pinellas County and four other locations nationally. She will also work to maintain accreditations with the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Service (CAAS) for the five ambulance service providers operated by Paramedic Plus. Vass will continue to work from Sunstar’s headquarters in Largo.
Vass was previously the chief administrative officer (CAO) for Sunstar Paramedics for the past two years. She joined Sunstar Paramedics as an EMT in 1986 and has worked as a paramedic, registered nurse and director of clinical services within the organization. She was honored as “Nurse of the Year” by the State of Florida in 2008 and participated in Leadership Pinellas class of 2009. Vass holds associate’s degrees in nursing and emergency service management from St. Petersburg College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management.
John Peterson has been promoted to CAO for Sunstar Paramedics and he will oversee the organization’s daily operations and 550 employees. He began his career with Sunstar Paramedics in 2003 and has worked as director of operations and administrative supervisor. Peterson was the chief operating officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, the Paramedics Plus-operated ambulance service provider for Tulsa and Oklahoma City, from 2012-2013 before returning to Sunstar as the director of logistics.
Peterson is a paramedic and certified occupational therapist. He earned his master’s degree in occupational therapy from Barry University in Miami and his MBA in healthcare management from the University of Texas at Tyler.
“Sunstar Paramedics continues to set a high bar for quality care. Debbie will be instrumental in taking all of the Paramedics Plus operations to the next level of excellence,” said Ron Schwartz, president of Paramedics Plus. “Under John’s leadership, Sunstar will continue to exceed performance benchmarks. Exceptional team members like Debbie and John are important to Paramedics Plus’ continued growth and commitment to providing first-class EMS services.”
“Debbie and John have been extraordinary leaders with Sunstar over the years,” said Mark Postma, vice-president of Paramedics Plus and chief operating officer at Sunstar Paramedics. “Debbie has demonstrated a commitment to quality patient care and operations that will be beneficial to all of the Paramedic Plus service providers. And John brings a strong combination of medical knowledge and management skills, which I think are critical to operating a successful EMS organization.”
Paramedics Plus signed a new five-year ambulance service contract with Pinellas County, Florida on May 19, 2015, continuing 11 years of service as Sunstar Paramedics.
In addition to Sunstar Paramedics, Paramedics Plus provides service to the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System in Tyler, Texas, where Paramedics Plus is headquartered; Alameda County, California; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.