Meet Our Team

Dr. Gary Ackerman is the Co-CEO of Ackerman Group, having founded the company 20 years ago after developing a proprietary process that helps practice owners successfully sell to the corporate market. You can read more about the story of Ackerman Group here.

Gary earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia before establishing his own multi-doctor, multi-site practice in Virginia. After growing his veterinary practices for 20 years, he sold them to a corporate buyer in 2001, where he experienced the transition process firsthand.

Throughout his career, Gary gained a wealth of knowledge and experience across many different areas that position him as an industry leader in the veterinary world today. In addition to being a DVM and former veterinary practice owner, he is also a licensed commercial real estate agent and investment advisor. His areas of expertise include (but are not limited to): corporate consolidation, veterinary practice ownership, business growth and management, real estate transactions and construction planning, tax mitigation strategies, practice transitions, due diligence, practice valuations, and negotiations.

Gary is a regular speaker at veterinary conferences and events, and he is an approved CE teacher for numerous realtor, accounting, and legal firms. He is published across multiple trade magazines and management publications where he writes about real estate issues in healthcare as well as practice transitions.

Gary lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Brenda. He has two children in college. When time permits, he enjoys water sports and an occasional game of racquetball.

He has owned and managed two very successful veterinary hospitals with outstanding teams of healthcare providers and sold these in 2018. He currently owns a third practice in northeast Ohio.
He has been appointed and served under three Ohio Governors to the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board, was elected to the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors, and was the 2019-2021 President of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards, which oversees the regulation and licensing of Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians in the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. In that role, he oversaw RACE continuing education and the VTNE (Veterinary Technician National Exam) which is the testing requirement of technicians in North America.

In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, saltwater fishing, and wake surfing. He is also a licensed pilot. He resides with his wife, Peg, and their dog, Ruger at Lake Buckhorn, Millersburg, and Punta Gorda, FL. Peg and Dr.

Redman has 5 children, 7 grandchildren with an 8th due December 2022.

Rich Lester has spent the past 15+ years in the veterinary industry, primarily working with veterinarians to ensure their financial success. After a few years as President of BrightHeart Veterinary Centers, Rich became the Founder of Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP) in 2011. VPP was the first group that exclusively focused on co-owning hospitals with local veterinarians, and as CEO, Rich grew it from a startup idea to a large organization with more than 65 hospital partnerships. In 2020, he stepped down as CEO and remained as an advisor. In his current role at Ackerman Group, he enjoys helping veterinarians secure their financial futures.

“I enjoy helping practice owners realize their goals, which includes the combination of the financial rewards, finding the ‘right’ fit for the staff, and Associates going forward and ensuring continuity for their hospital’s role in the community.”

Having spent over a decade as a practice buyer, Rich is extremely well-versed in the space and enjoys advising practice owners on the process of selling to corporate groups. Prior to the veterinary industry, Rich worked within the human healthcare sector in senior management. In particular, he spent much of this time at DaVita, a multi-site operator and consolidator of dialysis clinics.

Rich has an MBA from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in Finance and American History from the University of Pennsylvania. He’s married to his wife, Rachel, and they have three children. He loves to ski, golf, and spend time with his family.

Namely, Jeff co-founded and served as Managing Partner of Gulfstream Capital Partners LLC. The strategic advisory firm worked with companies in the financial services and technology sector in operational, strategic planning, capital formation and business development areas. Gulfstream Capital was responsible for the business development strategy at FinancialCampus, which led to its successful acquisition by Reuters.

Before forming Gulfstream Capital Partners, Jeff worked as a consultant to the financial services industry, helping companies successfully build and implement online strategies to deliver sales, marketing, training and education capabilities to their employees and partners. In 1986, he began his career in financial services as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. His career spanned 17 years as a financial consultant in Richmond Virginia. Jeff lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Beth. He has four children and two granddaughters.

Win has spent nearly a decade thoughtfully advising veterinary practice owners on a wide variety of business issues. At Ackerman Group, he both oversees the growth marketing of the company and works directly with veterinarians during their practice sale processes of their businesses. Previously, he served as Chief Growth Officer for Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP), a corporate practice ownership company, leading its Marketing and Business Development functions. Over his eight-year tenure at VPP, he developed revenue growth strategies that culminated in multiple, successive years of industry-leading revenue growth for VPP’s practices, contributing to VPP’s inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list from 2016-2020. While overseeing Business Development, he developed the company’s new practice assessment methodology and led its efforts to acquire high-quality practices across the country. In addition, Win started and led the company’s Technology and Data/Analytics teams, ultimately improving the organization’s ability to efficiently understand its practices’ performance.

Prior to joining VPP, Win was a Senior Associate at Centerwood Partners, LLC, an alternative investment firm, and Director of Marketing at Foresite Sports, Inc., a specialty B2C insurance brokerage.

Win earned his MBA at Duke University and Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Areas in which Jacki excels include project management, client communications, planning, logistics, and human resources. At Ackerman Group, she finds the entire sales process exciting:

“I find it rewarding seeing how appreciative clients are once they’ve crossed the finish line. I enjoy working with them throughout each phase of the process, starting with the eValuation.”

Logan Bucks joined Ackerman Group in 2024 as a Marketing Manager. With over 7 years of marketing experience, she has a wide range of knowledge spanning across both digital and traditional marketing efforts. Her expertise extends to strategy development, event management, and brand marketing, showcasing a diverse skill set in the field. She’s eager to offer her skillset to Ackerman Group to drive innovative marketing campaigns. 

Throughout her career, Logan has showcased the ability to integrate various marketing channels and strategies, crafting cohesive and effective campaigns that are tailored to the target audiences. Her professional career includes spending several years at digital marketing agencies, primarily focused on inbound marketing. Notably, Logan spent over 5 years in new home sales, spearheading a local builder’s comprehensive marketing initiatives.

Logan lives in Wilmington, North Carolina with her husband, David, and two corgi mixes – Dibs and Dewey. During her downtime, she enjoys relaxing at the beach, starting a new DIY project at home, or cuddling up to watch a new TV series.

Guncha Singh, a seasoned financial professional, joined Ackerman Group in 2024 as a Senior Financial Analyst. Before her role at Ackerman Group, Guncha worked as a Finance Manager at National Veterinary Associates, where she assisted in business development, mergers and acquisitions, and budgeting.

Outside of the veterinary industry, Guncha also served as a Tax Associate at BDO USA LP, where she handled C & S Corporate returns, as well as state returns. Following this, she took on the role of Tax Analyst at Warner Bros. Entertainment, contributing her financial acumen to one of the entertainment industry’s giants.

Guncha, who lives in Los Angeles with her family, finds balance in her life through yoga, Bhangra dancing, travel, and online shopping.

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Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Denver, where he also played collegiate soccer. He is originally from Dallas, Texas, and currently resides in Denver Colorado. In his spare time, Ryan loves to eat good food and watch TV shows with his wife Paulina and their three-year-old mini Goldendoodle, Miley.

Steve brings a breadth of veterinary knowledge to the Ackerman Group, having extensive experience in financial analysis, business valuations, and operational assessments of veterinary practices. He was a founder of National PetCare Centers, a company that owned and operated veterinary hospitals across the country. He led the organization from its inception to achieving second in the space before it merged with a fellow industry leader. Throughout his 6+ years at National PetCare Centers, Steve managed the finance and M&A departments, the latter of which included candidate screening, due diligence, financial analysis, deal negotiation, and post-merger integration. For over a decade, Steve also provided consulting services in the veterinary industry for practice sales, fairness opinions, and tax-related valuations.

Outside of the veterinary space, Steve has held multiple positions that allowed him to diversify his business experience and skills: a Research Analyst for an investment advisory firm, and a Strategic Business Analyst for a global manufacturer of digital imaging, process control, and asset management systems to name a couple. He was also the CFO for a start-up manufacturer and service provider of water sub-metering systems, as well as the Head of Finance for a developer of software products and services for the agricultural industry. Steve holds a Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Outside of Ackerman Group, Steve is an avid tennis enthusiast and plays on local USTA men’s and mixed doubles teams. He’s a certified tennis instructor who teaches both kids and adults. In addition to tennis, Steve has an affinity for adopting senior dogs. He particularly rescues siblings (or “bonded pairs”), which are often more difficult for shelters and rescue organizations to place into forever homes.

Before Ackerman, she was an Acquisitions Analyst at VCA. During her time there, she helped the company grow its M&A portfolio, assisted in financial trend analyses particularly in doctor production, and provided direct support to sellers and hospital teams during the diligence and transition processes. Even post-sale, Regina maintained communication with sellers to give any guidance if needed.

“I love using my veterinary experience to help others; not only in the hospital as an RVT, but also helping veterinarians and staff navigate the business side.”

She holds an Associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology from Los Angeles Pierce College, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Capella University, and a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Phoenix. In her free time, Regina enjoys spending time outdoors and with friends, reading, and self-work. She is the proud owner of four cats (Lucas, Adia, Spencer, and Maka) and two dogs (Harper and Brer).

Kelsey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. Outside of work, Kelsey loves to run, clean, and spend time with friends. She lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and two very spoiled dogs, Emmy & Ruby.

Chris Watkins, our Director of Operations, has more than 20 years of experience in the veterinary profession. Prior to Ackerman Group, Chris served as a technician and in hospital administration and practice management, most of which was at a multi-site, AAHA-accredited hospital in North Carolina. The hospitals where Chris worked were sold to corporate buyers, where he played an integral part in the transition. The experience gave him an initial dive into the transition process that led to his involvement with Ackerman Group today.

Areas in which Chris excels include practice management analysis, software functionality, due diligence processes, and client services. He’s also a credentialed veterinary assistant and still maintains his CE requirements for his AVA designation. He has an educational background in business administration and is in the process of completing requirements to earn a designation as a CVPM.

“Our team has a unique synergy and cohesiveness,” he says. “I find it rewarding when a client expresses a sigh of relief when they understand the tools, processes, and expertise that we have in place to support them through the various phases of selling their practice.”

Lindsey finds that being there for practice owners during such an important milestone is one of the most rewarding aspects of working at Ackerman Group. “Making [the transition process] as stress free as possible” is an added bonus to helping practice owners navigate their sale.

In Lindsey’s free time, you can find her on the beach listening to oldies, fishing, drag-racing, and enjoying time with her family and two children. Lindsey also has a 9 year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, named Gypsy, who loves to chase her tail and bark at her own shadow.

Maggie Cerciello is the Director of Marketing at Ackerman Group. She brings over eight years of experience in marketing across both traditional and digital areas. Prior to joining Ackerman Group, Maggie worked for several years as a Marketing Manager in the human healthcare industry, where she focused on driving brand awareness and business growth by utilizing a mix of marketing channels and impactful storytelling. Outside of healthcare, Maggie’s served as an SEO and personalization Analyst for Barnes & Noble, as well as an Account Manager for Seer Interactive, a marketing agency. She’s excited to help Ackerman Group reach and connect with the right people who can truly benefit from the team’s expertise and services.

Maggie holds a bachelor’s degree in media & journalism from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her spare time, you can find Maggie testing a new recipe, going for a long run, tackling her latest sewing project, or spending time with friends and family. She owns an Australian cattle dog mix named Hank, who she rescued in August of 2022.

Olivia Waite joined Ackerman Group in 2022 as a Senior Marketing Manager. She brings over 10 years of marketing experience with content creation, automated marketing practices, brand development, and implementing long-term marketing strategies. She is passionate about thoughtfully applying her expertise to help Ackerman Group build quality relationships.

Prior to joining Ackerman Group, Olivia worked as a Senior Marketing Manager at Veterinary Practice Partners, a corporate practice ownership company. At VPP, she created and managed traditional and digital marketing strategies for over 90 veterinary hospitals. Additionally, to ensure a smooth transition, Olivia led the marketing integration efforts for 55 new partnerships during her tenure with VPP. Before joining VPP, Olivia was a Marketing Manager at Hankin Group, a commercial and residential real estate development company. There, she led the marketing efforts for 12 apartment communities within the Hankin Apartments brand.

Olivia lives near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with her husband, Steve, and two shorkie brothers, Wolf and Digby. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, watching sci-fi movies, and making her house a home.

As Director of Business Development, Tom is responsible for the growth of Ackerman Group’s client base and market relationships. Tom brings more than 25 years of business strategy, business development, and executive leadership experience in the animal health industry. In the past, he’s worked for multiple market leaders such as Novartis, Veterinary Centers of America (VCA), and National Veterinary Associates (NVA). As a member of Ackerman Group, Tom’s expertise in identifying and responding to client demands in dynamic veterinary markets plays a key role in ensuring our client satisfaction.

Tom held various project management positions with increasing responsibility at Novartis until he was promoted into sales and managed markets leadership roles. At VCA, Tom managed operations in a four-state region and was promoted to Regional Vice President. He then joined NVA as the Director of Divisional Operations for their Central Division. At Akina Pharmacy, Tom developed the business case and strategy that resulted in the launch of Akina Animal Health, an e-commerce based compounding pharmacy. While at Akina, Tom had operational oversight for all Animal Health activities, interfacing with hundreds of veterinarians on a weekly basis.

Tom holds a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University. He has two teenage children and also parents a six-year-old cat, Trudy, who loves to eat and sleep.