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PASADENA, CA (May 2, 2022) – Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health (Wavemaker 360), the nation’s leading venture fund focused singularly on early-stage (primarily seed) healthcare disruptors, congratulates Executive in Residence Thomas F. Zenty III for receiving the 2021 American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Board of Trustees award. The honor is presented to individuals or groups who have made substantial and noteworthy contributions to the work of the AHA on behalf of the hospital field.

Zenty is a world-class healthcare leader who helps guide Wavemaker 360 and its portfolio companies, chairing the fund’s Council of Strategic Advisors. Using his breadth of knowledge in health systems administration, Zenty works closely with the fund’s portfolio companies, helping them refine and execute their go-to-market strategies, as well as commercially navigate the world of often excessively complicated health systems.

“I’m humbled to receive the 2021 Board of Trustees Award from AHA, an organization that’s been intimately intertwined with my professional passions and endeavors for nearly 25 years,” said Zenty. “AHA is a stronghold within the healthcare industry, touching millions of lives and always championing for the betterment of all professionals and patients. It’s truly an honor to be part of AHA’s story and I’m grateful beyond words to be the recipient of this honor.”

Since 1998, Zenty’s leadership in AHA has spanned an array of positions on AHA boards and committees including the advisory panel on financial viability measures, chairing the Health Research & Educational Trust, and serving on the AHA’s Board of Trustees, Board Executive Committee and Equity of Care Committee. Zenty also worked with AHA as the chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care.

During his nearly 20-year tenure at UH, Zenty grew UH’s footprint from three hospitals to 18 and as of 2019, operates 50 health centers and outpatient locations and employs nearly 30,000 people and serves 1.3 million patients annually.

Before retiring as CEO of University Hospitals Health System in 2021, Zenty was the COO of Cedars Sinai Medical Center and recognized by Modern Healthcare in its 2018’s “100 Most Influential Leaders in Healthcare.” Zenty received his BA in Health Planning & Administration from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in hospital administration from Xavier University, and a master’s degree in public administration from NYU.

“There is no one more deserving of this reputable award,” says John Nackel, Founder and General Partner, Wavemaker 360. “His achievements in healthcare surpass what multiple professionals can achieve in their lifetime. We are honored to have him as part of the Wavemaker 360 team and value the unique expertise he brings to the fund and our healthcare startup portfolio companies in need of needed guidance at the seed stage.”

Throughout his 40+ year career in healthcare, Zenty has reached impressive milestones including his role as president and CEO at University Hospitals Health System (UHHS). The massive health system’s flagship is University Hospital (UH) Cleveland Medical Center, affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, which is perennially among the highest performers in the “America’s Best Hospitals” rankings from U.S. News & World Report.