David A. Clark and Kelly McCrann
ST. LOUIS—EyeCare Partners LLC, the leading network of integrated ophthalmology and medical optometry practices serving patients across the vision care continuum, announced Tuesday the promotion of David A. Clark to chief executive officer, effective immediately. Clark joined EyeCare Partners as president in July 2020 after 20 years with MEDNAX Inc. (NYSE: MD), where he was most recently chief operating officer. Kelly McCrann, who had served as chief executive officer of EyeCare Partners since December 2016, immediately shifts to the role of operating director on the company’s board of managers, where he will focus on industry relations and mergers and acquisitions.

Both moves occur as the completion of a planned leadership transition for the company that is owned by Partners Group, a global private investment manager, according to the announcement. (Partners Group made “a significant equity investment” in EyeCare Partners in December 2019.)

McCrann led ECP through significant growth during his tenure as CEO, nearly tripling the company’s clinics and ambulatory surgery centers from 250 to 700 and more than doubling annual revenue, which is expected to exceed $1 billion this year.

In his first nine months with EyeCare Partners, Clark has worked with McCrann to build upon the company’s strategic plan, support a stronger patient orientation, create a medical advisory board and strengthen operations and integrations excellence—all during a time of significant growth for the company.

Since last fall, EyeCare Partners has added 95 offices, 11 ambulatory surgery centers and 165 doctors, bringing its total to 700 providers operating across 18 states throughout the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions. (VMAIL reported on the recent transactions involving EyeCare Partners earlier this month.)

“David Clark is a highly effective and distinguished health care business operator who understands how to build national medical groups and who knows what is needed to support our medical providers so that they can focus on delivering the highest quality patient care,” said George Bernstein, lead operating director for EyeCare Partners. “David is ready to lead EyeCare Partners into the next evolution of tremendous growth.”

McCrann added, “I’m incredibly proud of everything we accomplished with our talented and dedicated teammates during these last five years. As the company grew, we made sure to never lose focus on supporting our doctors and their teams, which allowed them to deliver the best possible health care to their patients.

"It’s been a pleasure to team up with David during the last nine months as we prepared for this moment, when we would formally ‘pass the torch’ to begin a new chapter for EyeCare Partners that builds upon a strong foundation. I look forward to providing my support to David and the company in my new role,” McCrann said.

Clark acknowledged that the past year “has presented significant challenges to the entire EyeCare Partners team—starting with an overhaul in operations due to COVID-19 protocols, followed by rapid growth that demanded quick integration.”

He added, “But we came out stronger on the other side because of our people. It’s an honor to take the reins of this thriving company and lead the team members who fuel our success. I thank Kelly McCrann for his partnership in our transition and am grateful for this incredible opportunity to guide the continued success of EyeCare Partners.”

Clark earned his bachelor of business administration, accounting, from Texas A&M University and began his career as a certified public accountant with Arthur Andersen, LLP in Dallas.