• Ray Dyer was promoted to CEO of Acusis (Pittsburgh). Previously, Dyer was VP of business development for the company. Acusis makes outsourced and software medical transcription services.

• Linda Knox was named the senior VP of market development for The Beryl Companies (Dallas). She previously was VP of regional sales for Health Trust Purchasing Group. The Beryl Companies provide outsourced call center services to healthcare organizations.

• Sherry Husa was named president/CEO of Centene's (St. Louis) Wisconsin subsidiary, Managed Health Services. Recently, Husa was president of Great-West Healthcare. Centene is a multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid.

• HemCon Medical Technologies (Portland, Oregon) reported two new additions to its executive team. William Block has been promoted to president, U.S. and Nick Hart has been named CFO. Block has been HemCon's executive VP of sales and marketing since June 2005. Hart joins HemCon from Alltracel Pharmaceuticals. HemCon Medical Technologies makes wound care products.

• Philip Arlen, MD, has been named president and chief medical officer, and elected to the board of directors of Neogenix Oncology (Great Neck, New York). Previously, Arlen was director of the clinical research group, laboratory of tumor immunology and biology at the National Cancer Institute. Neogenix Oncology is a biopharmaceutical company that makes diagnostics and therapeutics for the management of serious and difficult to treat cancers.

• Deborah Sheffield has been promoted to VP of clinical and regulatory affairs at Northstar Neuroscience (Seattle), replacing Nawzer Mehta, VP of clinical affairs, who has tendered his resignation effective Sept. 30. Previously, Sheffield was Northstar's director of regulatory affairs. Northstar Neuroscience makes neuromodulation therapies to restore function and quality of life for people suffering from neurological diseases and disorders.

• Robert Vaters was named executive VP/CFO of Orthofix International (Boston). Previously, Vaters was executive VP/CFO and head of strategy and corporate development at Inamed. Orthofix International makes minimally invasive surgical and non-surgical products for the spine, orthopedic and sports medicine market sectors.