Update: May 3, 2016 - Conference organizers tell Venture Nashville that our readers may have a $200 discount for this program, using Discount Code VN200 when registering here. Hope to see you there. - Ed.

THIS EVENT has kept me coming back, and this year Venture Nashville Connections is working with Don Buford and others to help to get the word out.

Healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions is the focus June 16-17 at Hilton Embassy Suites at Vanderbilt, in an event supported by the Nashville Health Care Council (NHCC) and presented by iiBIG, aka the International Institute for Business Information & Growth.

Buford, by the way, is a Texas native now headquartered on Long Island. He's iiBIG's CEO, and this is his 9th annual Healthcare M&A gathering, most of them held in Nashville.

This year's session topics include roundtables on sector M&A, Hospitals, Healthcare lenders, private investors, and payer/provider issues. Details here.

Also on the agenda: An Entrepreneurs roundtable, plus rich discussion of the challenges of transitioning to value-based payments and transaction trends.

Hayley Hovious

Among those speaking are NHCC President Hayley Hovious; and, Brad Smith, who is CEO and co-founder with former U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., of Aspire Health, a startup that provides specialized medical care and other support. Smith was also chief of staff under former TN Economic Development Chief Bill Hagerty.

Nashville's Frazer Buntin, the regional president in this market for Evolent Health, will also present. Evolent serves clients adjusting to value-based care. Earlier in this career, Buntin was with Healthways, Silvercare Solutions and others.

Steve Moore

Drawing seasoned M&A veterans, the roster is being finalized and already includes these and others:

► Steve Moore, Partner, PwC Healthcare Advisory practice

► Otto Campo, Executive Partner, Comvest Partners

► Don Adam, chief corporate development officer of Adeptus Health (NYSE:ADPT)

► Patrick Pilch, Managing Director, National Healthcare Advisory Leader, BDO Consulting

► Matthew M. Caine, CFA, Managing Director, SOLIC Capital Advisors.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is the event's Platinum sponsor.

Gold sponsors are BDO, Bennesch and Duane Morris.

Silver: Adeptus Health, Gryphon Investors and SOLIC Capital Advisors.

Associate and Marketing sponsors include Altegra Health Solutions, Healthcare M&A News, Mergermarket and Venture Nashville Connections. We at VNC are proud to be a marketing affiliate.

For more information about conference plans and opportunities, please visit the iiBIG site right here or just click below. VNC

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