ABOUT
Our HISTORY
MIDAS was formed in 2017 to address failures in medication security, enabling rising levels of diversion of controlled substances. This is one of the main factors fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic.
The genesis for MIDAS was Founder and CEO Michael LaFauci’s vision to safely neutralize and dispose of Fentanyl patches. Knowing that these patches are widely prescribed with no safe means of disposal, he created the Patch Catcher™ in an effort to reduce accidental exposure to the discarded medication.
This idea sparked a conversation about medication security across all areas of healthcare. From this realization, the MIDAS team was assembled to create solutions to these glaring concerns.
Our Mission
At MIDAS Healthcare Solutions, our mission is to promote and enable the safer use, handling, storage, return, and disposal of transdermal patches, injectables, and oral medications.
Though we initially focused on the opioid crisis, we have diversified our product portfolio to all types of medications. Our systems are designed for simple and intuitive use by practitioners, prescribers, and patients alike.
Our team is comprised of accomplished professionals in key industries: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, intellectual property, product design, marketing, finance, technology, and business development. By combining each member’s individual strengths, we have forged an innovative team that is revolutionizing medication security.
RELEVANT, DIVERSE, AND EXPERIENCED:
Meet our EXECUTIVE TEAM
FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Michael is a medical device developer and serial entrepreneur with a demonstrated track record of innovative business creations, including Brolex, RxL, FanUnlimited, and ShUX. Brolex produced a device to help eliminate fetal laceration to newborns during C-sections. The company was sold to Cooper Surgical in 2015. RxL produced the first touch-screen e-prescribing system. FanUnlimited originated the first self-ordering touch-screen system for stadium and arena concessions; its customers included professional sports franchises and prominent concession organizations. ShUX is an apparel company offering patented self-packing clothing for travel and active lifestyle enthusiasts.
Michael provides guidance in the areas of organic growth and capitalization to start-ups in the medical, technology, consumer goods, and retail sectors. He has held corporate, institutional, and retail pharmacist positions, including pharmacy administrator at New York University Hospital and pharmaceutical sales representative with GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. Michael is a former Adjunct Clinical Professor at St. John’s University, from which he holds a BS in Pharmacy.
JEFFREY WAHL
CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT
Jeff is a recognized authority on medical risk mitigation and the use of technology in healthcare. He is a frequent lecturer and teacher on topics including medical risk management, patient safety, and the use of innovative technologies in healthcare at law schools, medical schools, academic medical centers, and other prominent national and international organizations. These include the Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern University’s School of Health Communication, and the International Health Facility Diversion Association.
Jeff led the advisory board of Invivodata (subsequently acquired by ERT), a healthcare technology company that developed patient-focused digital data capture applications for FDA trials. He has written extensively in medical texts, journals, and other publications on the legal aspects of anesthesiology, hematology/oncology, reproductive gynecology, and other specialties.
During his 30+ years of medical risk management and medical malpractice litigation, Jeff has worked with expert physicians from the top 20 hospitals in the nation. He has handled legal matters in nearly every medical specialty and practice for healthcare venues ranging from small practices to nationally-recognized departments at major academic medical centers. Jeff is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he was a Law Review editor, and Franklin & Marshall College.
JONATHAN “JONO” PINSKY
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Jono is a serial entrepreneur, CEO, and executive coach to B2B and B2C start-ups and growth-phase companies. His tenure includes successful venture capital and private equity sales and investments.
Jono’s “ahead-of-the-curve” entrepreneurial successes include Violife, Inc. and Image Info, Inc. Violife, a producer of innovative personal care products, created the first UV toothbrush sanitizer, which was an IDSA Gold Award Winner and was featured in TIME Magazine’s Coolest Inventions of the Year. Image Info was a pioneer in high-performance digital software and imaging solutions for the fashion and apparel, home furnishings, and consumer products industries worldwide. The company was acquired by QRS Corporation at the height of the technology boom. Additionally Jono led the executive team at FanUnlimited, the first self-ordering touch-screen system for stadium and arena concessions. Its customers included professional sports franchises and prominent concession organizations.
Jono serves as executive coach to a wide range of technology-driven and lifestyle startups including ShUX, a line of self-packing performance clothing for active lifestyle and travel enthusiasts; Coral Networks, a professional relationship management (PRM) system for the gig economy; and LeaseUp, a commercial real estate process management technology for brokers. Jono attended the prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
PETER CIRASOLE
VP TECHNOLOGY
Peter is a cloud security software innovator with extensive start-up level strategic, corporate finance, and operational experience, and patent and intellectual property expertise. Peter was most recently SVP of Corporate Development at eGifter.com. Previously, he founded and served as President and CEO of BASCOM Global Internet Services, creator of a patented internet security system that was deployed in K-12 schools throughout the US. With Peter at its helm, BASCOM successfully enforced its patent against infringement by several major internet communications entities.
Peter is a New York Institute of Technology Executive Focus winner and recipient of Long Island Business News’ 40 Under 40 Award. He served on the Board of Directors of the Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet.org) for nearly 20 years. Peter honed his operational skills building out all essential facets for start-up success in senior level positions with a variety of technology and contracting firms. He holds a BBA in Finance from George Washington University.
ADVISORS
MIDAS’s Advisor roster is a veritable “who’s who” of industry luminaries from across the healthcare universe (including nursing, pharmaceuticals, devices, anesthesiology, pain management, primary care, pharmacy, oncology, and medical communications); government, military, and data security; and pharmaceutical technology and computing sectors.
- Chief Pharmacy Officer – US Oncology, Inc.
- Former Chief Pharmacist, Head of Pharmacy – US Oncology, Inc.
- Former Senior Vice President, Chief Pharmacist – Medco Health Solutions
- Former Vice President, Pharmacy – University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Former President – Central Ohio Society of Hospital Pharmacists; Ohio Society of Hospital Pharmacists; American Society of Hospital Pharmacists; Texas State Board of Pharmacy
- Author – 60 publications
- Award Recipient – Harvey A.K. Whitney Award, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP); Clifton J. Latiolais Award, Ohio State University; Distinguished Alumnus, Ferris State University, Ohio State University
- Independent Research and Manufacturing Chemist
- Extensive involvement with DEA Controlled Substances, Schedules I-IV
- Expertise in hydromorphone, oxycodone, fentanyl, codeine, hydrocodone, MS Contin, Oxycontin, Ryzolt
- Former Senior Research Scientist – Rhodes Technologies, Abbott Laboratories, Dow Chemical
- Former President CEO – Cleveland Clinic
- Former Chairman, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery – Cleveland Clinic
- Board Member – American Well; Hims & Hers
- Healthcare Advisor – Google Cloud
- Patent Holder – 30 surgical-use medical, clinical products
- Author – 450 journal articles, book chapters
Acknowledgements – Fortune Businessperson of the Year (#14); Inside Business’s “Power 100” (Northeast Ohio); Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare” and “Most Powerful Physician Executives”; Cleveland Medical Hall of Fame inductee.
- Chief of Clinical & Research Informatics, National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) – Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
- Dual Academic Appointment, Applied Physics Laboratory – Johns Hopkins University
- Former Guest Researcher, Medical Informatics Research Fellow – National Institutes of Health
- Head, Healthcare and Blockchain Consulting – Genesis Block
- Advisor/Senior Advisor – CryptoOracle, LLC; Nura Health, Inc.
- Blockchain Expert (Healthcare) – UN/CEFACT (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
- Subject Matter Expert – Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM); Institute for Responder Wellness
- Affiliate Professor in Pain Medicine – University of Washington
- Adjunct Professor in Bioethics and Humanities – University of Washington
- Anesthesiologist-in-Chief – UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
- Former President – Society for Pediatric Anesthesia
- Author – 90+ peer-reviewed articles, 67 book chapters
- Ensign Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pharmacology – Yale University School of Medicine
- Chief of Medical Oncology – Yale Cancer Center
- Chief of Medical Oncology, Associate Director for Translational Research – Smilow Cancer Hospital
- Chair, Tobacco Task Force – American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
- Author/Co-Author – 275+ publications
- Senior Vice President; Chief Nursing Officer; Editorial Advisory Board Member – Sharecare
- Former President, StayWell Productions – MediMedia
- Former Director, Health Education – Time Warner
- Former various roles – Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Partner – Spiro|Harrison
- Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Securities & Health Care Fraud Unit, Appeals Division – United States Attorney’s Office
- Former Counselor, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division – U.S. Department of Justice
- Former Deputy General Counsel – U.S. Department of Education
- Professor of Anesthesiology, Vice Chair for Innovation, Director of Academic Entrepreneurship – Duke University School of Medicine
- Editor-in-Chief – Anesthesiology (American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA))
- Recipient – NIH funding for research into drug safety and clinical effectiveness
- Author – 260+ papers and book chapters; two textbooks on anesthetic pharmacology
- Chairman – Kwait & Associates, Bob Kwait Consulting
- Former Director of Purchasing – Consumer Value Stores (CVS); developed first CVS pharmacy format
- Former Partner – Corporation with dominant position in OTC/Rx topical market
- Development Participant – Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
- Recipient – Lifetime Achievement Award, National Association of Chain Drug Stores
- Virginia Apgar Professor in Anesthesiology – Columbia University Medical Center
- Associate Director, Division of Obstetric Anesthesia – Columbia University Medical Center
- Director, Center for Precision Medicine Research, Department of Anesthesiology – Columbia University Medical Center
- Consultant – Retail Pharmacy
- Former Director of Pharmacy Services – Walgreens
- Founder, President, COO – OptiNose, Inc.
- Former Chief Medical Officer, Worldwide VP, Evidence Based Medicine – Johnson & Johnson
- Former Member, Global Management Board – Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson medical device subsidiary)
- General (retired) – United States Air Force
- President – Meyerrose Group
- Partner, Technology Practice – RIDGE-LANE LP
- Adjunct Professor – Carnegie Mellon University
- Former first President-Appointed, U.S. Senate-confirmed Chief Information Officer – Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
- General (retired) – United States Air Force
- Senior Counselor – The Cohen Group (former DOD Secretary William Cohen)
- Managing Partner, co-Lead, Information Technology Practice – RIDGE-LANE LP (former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge)
- Former Director, Defense Information Systems Agency – U.S. Air Force
- Former Manager – National Communications System
- Former Deputy Commander for Global Network Operations and Defense – U.S. Strategic Command
- Former Chairman – Deloitte Center for Cyber Innovation
- Former Managing Director for Cyber Risk Services – Deloitte
- Chairman – Ridge Global
- Co-Founder, Executive Chairman – RIDGE-LANE LP
- Former first Secretary – U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Former Governor – State of Pennsylvania
- Advisor Chairman– MIDAS
- Chief Wellness Officer; Wellness Institute Chairman – Cleveland Clinic
- Member, Editorial Advisory Board – Sharecare
- Co-Founder; Chair, Scientific Advisory Board – RealAge
- Author/Co-Author – 8 New York Times bestsellers; 188 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 100 textbook chapters, 30 editorials, 4 medical text books
- Patent Holder – 13 domestic, several foreign
- Automated Dispensing Machine Master Expert
- Pharmacy and Nursing Clinical Workflow Expert
- Medical Director – Western Colorado Healthcare System; Southeastern Utah Healthcare System
- CMIO Volunteer – Good Samaritan Health Clinic
- Advisory Board/Council Member – Diagnotes, Inc.; QBRICS, Inc.
- Former President – American Osteopathic Association of Medical Informatics (AOAMI)
- Former Chief Medical Interoperability Officer Federal – Deloitte Consulting
- Vice President, Executive Board Member – International Health Facility Diversion Association (IHFDA)
- Executive Team Member – American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Foundation
- Former Senior Executive – American Society for Pain Management Nursing, Intermountain West Pain Management Nurses, Pain Management Education Consultants
- Former Executive Director, Medical Affairs, Program Development – Pernix Therapeutics; Zogenix; Horizon Pharma
- Award Recipient – Lifetime National Advocacy Award and Distinguished Service Award, American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN); Distinguished Service Award, American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Foundation; Educator of the Year Award, National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI); first Educator of the Year Award for Industry, American Society of Pain Educators (ASPE)
- BioHealth Innovation
- Former Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development – Cardinal Health
- Former Partner – Foundation Medical Partners
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine – Yale University School of Medicine
- Medical Director, Adult Primary Care Center – Yale New Haven Hospital
- Leadership Team Member – Yale Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program
- Member – CT Alcohol and Drug Policy Council (ADPC) , CT Bar Association Opioid Task Force, CT Opioid Response (CORE) team
- Vice President, Strategic Development – BIOEnterprise Corporation
- Former Director, Statewide Substance Use Education of Business Initiatives – Office of the Attorney General of Ohio
- Former Appointment, Drug Use Education and Policy Manager, Heroin Unit – Office of the Attorney General of Ohio
- Colonel (retired) – U.S. Air Force, Ohio Air National Guard
- CEO – Habitat for Humanity MidOhio
- Former Chairman, State Support Organization – Habitat for Humanity Ohio
- Former “CEO of the Year” – CEO Magazine
- Former State Representative – Ohio (27th District
- CEO – Weston Consulting
- Former CEO – American Nursing Association Enterprise
- Inclusion in “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” – Modern Healthcare (2017)
OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
MIDAS is supported by a triumvirate of renowned services providers, including Nottingham Spirk for development, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati for intellectual property, and DCBA Law for policy.
MIDAS is in ongoing conversations with a wide variety of national medical associations, university medical centers, and corporations with the goal of building strategic partnerships to grow awareness of and establishing distribution channels for its advanced-technology products, processes, and systems.
