C-Suite Healthcare Executive · Entrepreneur

Aaron Blass

Chief Growth Officer at YSS | C-Suite Healthcare Executive

I turn healthcare operations into growth. More than 15 years of CEO and president-level leadership: 200%+ revenue growth, $100M+ P&L ownership, value-based care transformation, and high-performing teams built to deliver results.

Aaron Blass
Ankeny, Iowa
$100M+P&L ownership across business units
200%+Revenue growth scaling a dental enterprise
$225MMedical spend managed in value-based care
18%Reduction in hospital readmissions
$49MEmergency procurement led for the State of Iowa
5,000+Integrated kidney care patients supported
Career

Twenty years of leading through transformation.

From the flight deck to the C-suite: a record of scaling organizations, transforming care delivery, and building teams that outperform.

Chief Growth Officer

YSS · Ames, IA
July 2024 – Present
  • Enterprise executive leading organizational growth, revenue strategy, and philanthropic advancement for one of Iowa's largest youth-serving nonprofits.
  • Oversee business development, grant operations, and marketing/communications, aligning cross-functional initiatives that strengthen financial sustainability and expand statewide impact.
  • Lead fundraising strategy and the Foundation team, elevating donor engagement, stewardship, and philanthropic revenue.
  • Modernize programs and internal systems, integrating clinical and operational functions to position the organization for scalable, long-term growth.

Director, Value-Based Care Transformation

DaVita · Denver, CO
October 2022 – July 2024
  • Cut hospital readmissions 18% while increasing patient activation 43% and optimal starts 32%.
  • Managed $225M in medical expenditures, projecting a 19% reduction in addressable costs.
  • Led the team supporting 5,000+ integrated kidney care patients, partnering with nephrologists to improve chronic kidney disease management and care transitions.
  • Delivered 25% revenue growth and 20% cost savings across 10+ business units; owned $100M+ P&Ls.

Management Analyst III

State of Iowa, Department of Administrative Services · Des Moines, IA
March 2020 – October 2022
  • Directed $49M in emergency PPE procurement for Iowa's frontline workers during COVID-19, negotiating supplier terms that cut costs while keeping supply reliable through peak demand.
  • Designed a statewide PPE inventory and forecasting system and established a strategic reserve, strengthening the state's emergency preparedness.
  • Built sourcing partnerships with federal agencies, neighboring states, and private suppliers to coordinate strategy across jurisdictions.
  • Led the cross-functional team behind Iowa's pandemic procurement response.

Business Development Manager

Select Medical
April 2018 – May 2019
  • Increased patient satisfaction 35% through a patient-centric care model; launched a staff development program with 100% attainment.
  • Cut patient wait times 20% and grew daily patient capacity 15% through operational improvements.
  • Drove 12% annual revenue growth through targeted marketing and service expansion, opening 2 new clinics in underserved markets.
  • Grew patient referrals 33% via physician and community partnerships, and improved retention 30% with a structured follow-up care program.

CEO / President of Business Operations and Development

Lifepoint Dental Group
December 2010 – August 2019
  • Scaled a single dental practice into a multi-location enterprise with 200%+ revenue growth, reaching $15M+ in annual revenue with 70 staff and contract providers.
  • Drove 20% year-over-year growth, lifted patient satisfaction 38%, cut overhead 28%, and increased patient throughput 25%.
  • Reduced dental product costs 38% through strategic procurement and payer partnerships.
  • Founded community outreach programs delivering free dental screenings and treatment to underserved communities.

President

Briarwood Dental
November 2009 – November 2010
  • President of the dental practice that grew into Lifepoint Dental Group.

Senior Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

GlaxoSmithKline · Greater Indianapolis Area
May 2006 – October 2009
  • Built relationships with physicians and healthcare providers across the Greater Indianapolis area to drive GlaxoSmithKline product adoption.

First Officer & Systems Integration Instructor

Comair (Delta Connection)
October 2002 – May 2006
  • Commercial pilot and systems integration instructor at Comair (Delta Connection). Built leadership, adaptability, and crisis management skills in high-stakes operations.
Entrepreneurship

An owner's mindset.

I have built companies, not just run them. Ownership taught me to think in decades, invest in people, and treat every dollar like it matters.

Founded · Led 2010–2019

Lifepoint Dental Group

Founded and led as CEO, scaling a single dental practice into a multi-location enterprise with 200%+ revenue growth and $15M+ in annual revenue.

Built the team to 70 staff and contract providers, with 20% year-over-year growth, 38% lower overhead, and patient satisfaction up 38%.

Owner

Massage Heights Retreats

Owner of four wellness retreats across Central Iowa: Ames, Ankeny, Johnston, and West Des Moines.

Long-term operators in wellness and hospitality, building membership-driven businesses and leading local teams.

Visit the retreats
Speaking

Talks for leaders who want results.

Keynotes and executive sessions for healthcare, corporate, and nonprofit audiences. Every talk is grounded in real operating experience and measurable outcomes.

01

Transforming Healthcare from the Inside Out

Lessons from scaling a dental enterprise 200%+, leading value-based care transformation at DaVita, and running $49M in emergency procurement for the State of Iowa.

02

Lead Like a Father

People-first leadership that delivers results: safe environments, high standards, and strength-based development that brings out the best in teams.

03

Scaling from Startup to Enterprise

What it takes to grow a single practice into a $15M+ multi-location company: systems, culture, and the discipline to verify what matters.

04

Serving Iowa's Youth

Why a healthcare CEO moved to nonprofit youth services, and why mission is the ultimate growth strategy.

Expertise

What I bring to the table.

Public Management Certificate

Drake University, 2021–2022

B.S., Aeronautical Science

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

P&L Ownership Value-Based Care Transformation Mergers & Acquisitions Cost Optimization Growth Strategy Organizational Leadership Operational Excellence Change Management Revenue Growth Strategic Partnerships
Contact

Let's talk about growth.

Open to executive roles, board conversations, partnerships, and speaking engagements.

The person behind the proof.

For the whole story: faith, family, running, wellness, and the essays I write along the way, visit my personal site.

Visit aaronblass.com