Team

Ken Willett

President, CEO, and Chief Technical Officer

What I do all day
About 1/3 running the business, 1/3 making sure systems are running smoothly, and 1/3 with technology strategy and software development.

How I got here
I joined Tektronix right out of college and worked there until 1981, when I became one of the founders of Mentor Graphics Corp. In 1994 I left to pursue a systems science degree and did independent consulting for MedicaLogic, Kryptiq, MyHealthBank, Unicru, and TACS, among others. Working for a 600-person company was too big; a one person company was too small. This seems just right.

What I like best about my work
Being able to go from concept to product in a week or two.

What I like least about my work
It’s hard to take a break.

Pet peeves
Negative perceptions of HIT vendors, which are unfortunately justified in many cases.

Greatest passions
I am very involved with causes supporting disadvantaged people in other parts of the world, particularly Mexico, Haiti, and the West Bank. Also music, both listening and performing.

My idea of a perfect day
A sunny, 75 degree day on the Oregon Coast. These are rare.

Read more:Ken Willett | Portland Business Journal

Pat Wolfram

Vice President Marketing

What I do all day
Help care providers provide better care. It’s wonderful to make lab/radiology integration work well for them in their EMRs. EMR integration is what I’ve been doing for 15 years and the improvements we’ve delivered in the past three years have simply been amazing… and lots of fun.

How I got here
I moved to healthcare IT and EMR integration when I joined MedicaLogic in 1995. In 1999 MedicaLogic’s EMR led the industry in EMR integration with top KLAS scores. After a stint with GE as their global product manager for EMR interoperability, I joined Ignis in 2007. Ignis brings together solid domain expertise, smart technologies, and a team that’s passionate about making practice’s run more smoothly through workflow integration --- who wouldn’t want to be part of that?

What I like best about my work
Working with a great team where what we do improves the workdays and lives of others. We’re good at this, and the practices and lab managers really like our work – what could be more fun? 

What I like least about my work
Writing quotes. Ugh.

Pet peeves
That our orders-results workflow solution gets lumped together with interface engines, middleware “hubs,” and “grids.” To us it’s all about efficiency in the practice, not about message routing.  

Other pet peeves: Rude drivers, cat hair.

Greatest passions
Family, outdoors, biking, hiking, swimming, skiing.

Our family volunteers locally on Habitat for Humanity projects, helps run our local Relay For Life, and arranges biennial mission trips to Mexico to install sustainable irrigation systems and gardens at orphanages and youth homes.

My idea of a perfect day
A sunny spring day hiking with Lori and the girls in the Oregon Cascades.

Monte Gund
Vice President of Engineering

What I do all day
1. Work with our customers to continually improve the EMR-Link workflow experience.
2. Work with our implementation team to ensure successful implementations and find ways to improve the process. Process improvement can sometimes be achieved with a new tool or enhancement.
3. Work with the other execs to determine the right direction for Ignis Systems regarding new and existing products.

How I got here
I’ve been doing healthcare integration for over 20 years. I was one of the original developers for MedicaLogic and then GE Healthcare, managing the integration development team and helping shape the next generation of integration for their EMR. Joining the Ignis Systems team was a natural fit, given the culture of the company, my EMR interop experience, and our desire to make a positive impact to our customer's daily rhythm.

What I like best about my work  
I love that we are doing something that has a positive impact for our customers, not just with our product, but with our service and our people. Every day is a challenge...a sprint. But it's all interesting and fun work.

What I like least about my work  
There are so many great things about working from home but it does have one downside. I miss the interaction that happens when you have everyone coming together under one roof.

Pet peeves
People and companies that don't deliver on their promises. The healthcare integration industry has a lot of vendors that make claims they cannot achieve. Clinics and hospital organizations have become increasingly skeptical that vendors can deliver.

Greatest passions
I want to prove to the healthcare industry that there are still honest and reliable vendors out there. It may sound hokey...but I love working with great people on a great product and making our customers successful.

My idea of a perfect day
Relaxing in a hammock with my wife listening to the ocean lapping up on the beach...just outside our Caribbean bungalow. Hey, a guy's got to have a dream.

Leslie Tucker

Director of Operations

What I do all day
I balance my time between supporting my team and the amazing work they do; working with our customers on delivering quality products; and supporting the executive team on new product strategy, direction, and operational implementation. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be in a very diverse role.

How I got here
I have spent my career in health care, starting my first job at OHSU working in medical records—back then it was all paper-based, and there was a lot of it. I have worked in private practice, for large healthcare systems, and on the integration and product development teams at MedicaLogic/GE. Joining Ignis was an easy step for me, as it allowed me to move back into product development and delivery, an area of passion for me, and also to rejoin my colleagues from MedicaLogic. 

Pet peeves
People who complain and try to put up barriers vs. trying to solve problems. It is an unfortunate and costly consequence of any work environment.

Also, people who don’t put their shopping cart away. Such a simple thing to do.