We sat down with Michael Melville, Healthcare portfolio Group Leader, to learn about his story and experience in the healthcare industry. In this interview, Melville also highlights what companies in the healthcare space can expect post-acquisition at Volaris Group.

What got you interested in the healthcare industry?

MM: I always knew I wanted to work in the healthcare industry and planned to go to medical school to become a doctor. I enjoyed the sciences and started college as a Biology major, but soon realized I was not ready to commit to the long road ahead of me. I decided to switch my field of study to Health Services Administration, where I still had several science classes, but was also able to take business classes with a focus on the healthcare environment.

Why do you have a passion for healthcare?

MM: Looking back, I think it started with having an interest in science that turned into a passion for healthcare. As I moved through my college career and continued my studies, I realized that the healthcare industry had a lot of new and exciting things happening, especially as technology was evolving. For example, health maintenance organizations were new and there was a lot of progress happening in the insurance space. Many changes were going on and that created a level of excitement for me to want to get out there and do it.

What is your professional background?

MM: After graduating college, I worked in a variety of sales and marketing roles at various healthcare organizations. I gained leadership experience throughout my career, and in 2008 I was hired as the President of IntelliSoft Group and later became the CEO of the company. In this role, I had executive staff reporting to me that oversaw operations, professional services, finance, sales and marketing, R&D, HR, and IT. During my time with the business, the team expanded from 6 to 55 people and the revenue grew more than 10x in my 11-year leadership window.

Did you have any experience with M&A prior to joining Volaris?

MM: In 2019, we sold IntelliSoft Group to the leading player in our industry. I was involved with preparing the business for sale and working through the due diligence process. I spent six months supporting the integration and working with the team to ensure a smooth transition post-acquisition. I also oversaw two acquisitions during my tenure at IntelliSoft.

Explain your time with Volaris Group and the roles you have held.

MM: I joined Volaris Group as a Business Development Executive in 2020 to help the M&A team increase our footprint in the healthcare space via acquisitions. At the time, we had one healthcare business in our portfolio, and I served as the General Manager. Since then, we have acquired three great software businesses that are leaders in their niche. I support these companies by providing best practices in key business areas to help them achieve their goals. As of 2022, my role shifted to Group Leader of our healthcare portfolio, with the General Managers of our four healthcare businesses reporting to me, while I continue to focus on growth via M&A activity.

Can you describe what a typical workday looks like for you?

MM: Every day is a little different because of the nature of my role. On the M&A side, I am looking for companies that are the right fit for our portfolio, having conversations with the business leaders, attending conferences to meet face-to-face with prospects, and supporting the due diligence process. Once a company joins our portfolio, I get more involved in operations and helping the businesses grow. I have frequent meetings with the General Managers and other senior leadership to review financial information and plan the future strategy of the businesses in our portfolio.

How do you support the businesses that you oversee?

MM: I have a weekly scheduled call with the General Managers of our healthcare businesses and typically communicate informally throughout the week. During our weekly scheduled calls, we go through the goals, high level updates, hiring needs, and any operational needs of their businesses. We share thoughts and bounce ideas off each other to see what makes sense for next steps, and I provide insight on any projects or initiatives in the works using experience from my previous roles.

For a more detailed look at how we support healthcare businesses post-acquisition, click here.

What is your favorite part of your job?

MM: I really enjoy the M&A side. I think it’s a lot of fun to find great software businesses in the healthcare industry, talk to their leaders, and find areas that we can support immediately. I love being able to look at a business and see the impact we can make, regardless of their size. As a founder in a business, I know how you can get caught up and lose sight of the bigger picture. It is sometimes the simple stuff that can make a big difference in a business. I also really enjoy interacting with the leaders post-acquisition. I think we continue to learn from each other and ultimately make the business stronger.

How would you describe the team at Volaris Group?

MM: It is like a super team. As an employee of Volaris Group, what comes to mind is the amount of amazing people that work within the company. Especially during integrations, I work with many people from all sides of the business and every single person I work with is better at what they do than anybody I’ve ever met. Being surrounded by great people who are passionate about what they’re doing makes easy for me to be passionate about my role and want to do better.

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Interested in joining our Healthcare portfolio? Feel free to email Our Team or Contact Us today!