March 18, 2026 – Executive recruitment firm Furst Group, which serves the healthcare and insurance industries, has placed Eric Meier as the new CEO of PracticeWise. Principal/senior client partner Tim Frischmon and senior consultant Judy Kliethermes led the assignment.
“Practicewise has appointed Eric Meier as its new CEO, further strengthening its focus on providing evidence-based solutions in pediatric and adolescent mental health,” said Sharon Gabrielson, chair of the board of directors. “Eric brings extensive experience in the healthcare sector, particularly in software development and mental health innovations. His extensive leadership experience across healthcare and technology, and his proven track record of strong organizational growth are exactly what we need to achieve our mission of providing evidence-based behavioral health solutions to as many children and their support systems as possible. Eric’s appointment marks an important next chapter for PracticeWise as the organization continues to strengthen its impact, deepen partnerships, and support the delivery of high-quality, evidence-informed care.”
Mr. Meier brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience across healthcare technology, software, medical devices, and digital health. He has served as CEO, president, and board member for venture-backed and private equity–backed organizations, with a strong track record of scaling organizations, strengthening operations, and building high-performing teams in complex healthcare environments.
Mr. Meier previously served as president and CEO of Owl, Inc., an enterprise SaaS company focused on measurement-based care in behavioral health. During his tenure, he led the organization through significant growth and expansion, building multidisciplinary teams, strengthening partnerships with health systems, payers, and community organizations, and advancing the company’s product and commercial capabilities. Following Owl’s integration into NeuroFlow, Mr. Meier served as president of behavioral health markets, where he led behavioral health market strategy and post-integration commercial alignment.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Meier held senior leadership roles including president and CEO of Cervel Neurotech and founder, president, and CEO of Calypso Medical, where he led platform development, regulatory approvals, commercialization efforts, and organizational growth. He previously spent time at Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon), directing market and business development initiatives within global surgical device organizations.
“What drew me to PracticeWise is its relentless focus and commitment to elevating the delivery of behavioral health,” said Mr. Meier. “I’m excited to partner with our team to deepen our impact, expand our reach, and support practical, evidence-informed tools into the hands of providers serving kids and families.”
Founded in 2004, PracticeWise advances how evidence and information are used to improve the lives of children and families. The organization partners with clinicians, educators, and system leaders to bring the best of science into everyday care — helping kids get better faster and supporting healthier communities.
Furst Group, headquartered in Rockford, IL, partners with many of the premier healthcare organizations in the world, from providers and payers to life-science companies and private equity/venture capital firms. While Furst Group’s roots are in managed care, the firm continues to be one of the nation’s leading executive search partners to health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, post-acute, and hospice and palliative care facilities. Its work with insurers stretches back to the HMO era, yet the firm also teams with life science, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. Furst Group also has offices in Phoenix, AZ; Radnor, PA; San Francisco; Brentwood, TN; Chicago; Irving, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle; St. Louis; and Washington, D.C.
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Bob Clarke, chairman of Furst Group, has been a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards for more than 30 years. His acumen in executive search and integrated talent management is valued by hospital systems, managed care organizations, medical groups, indemnity companies, end-of-life care providers, healthcare associations, and other medical delivery systems across the U.S. Mr. Clarke concentrates his work at the board and C-suite levels for providers and payers of every variety, creating recruitment processes and counseling boards and search committees. He also partners with boards of directors of healthcare organizations to manage C-suite transitions, develop succession plans, assess leadership teams, and implement leadership development programs.
Experienced Consultants
With three decades of experience shaping healthcare leadership, Mr. Frischmon serves as a strategic advisor to boards and CEOs, partnering with organizations across the healthcare ecosystem to align executive talent with transformational objectives. His work spans Fortune 50 companies, high-growth private equity-backed firms, and leading non-profit healthcare organizations driving industry innovation. Drawing from his executive coaching certification from Hudson Institute and background in Economics and Business Management, Mr. Frischmon develops integrated talent solutions encompassing leadership development, succession planning, and strategic executive selection.
Ms. Kliethermes is an experienced healthcare senior consultant with a wealth of expertise spanning more than 20 years in healthcare executive search. Her career boasts a diverse portfolio of midsized to Fortune 500 clients, including health systems, hospitals, large medical groups, academic institutions, clinically integrated networks, managed care companies, and other healthcare entities. Ms. Kliethermes has a history of placing senior and C-level administrative as well as physician executives across various healthcare disciplines. Her expertise encompasses developing robust candidate sourcing plans, managing the candidate selection process, fostering client relationships, and executing strategic marketing initiatives.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media