Tammy Hawes
CEO and Founder
Hawes launched Virsys12 in 2011, with a track record of more than 25 years of executive success. Prior to establishing Virsys12, Hawes’s career trajectory had taken her in and out of the healthcare industry as she rose through the ranks at HCA, Theraphysics and Behavioral Healthcare (now Ardent). She previously served in CIO and CTO roles for organizations including Central Parking Systems, Paradigm Health and Axis Accounting. She also held executive roles with SSR and Primex Wireless.
Under Hawes’s leadership, Virsys12 has received numerous awards, including the 2013 NEXT Award for Technology Start-Up from the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and Nashville Entrepreneur Center. In 2016, Hawes was named a member of the Nashville Health Care Council’s Fellows Initiative and one of four “Most Powerful Women in Technology” by the Nashville Post.
The Mississippi native received a BS degree in Computer Science from East Tennessee State University.
Melinda Scruggs Gales
Chief Growth Officer
After three years consulting with Virsys12 in her role as chief brand strategist for Gales Network, a 20-year-old consultancy providing brand strategy to healthcare, entertainment and technology clients, Melinda Scruggs Gales joined the company as Chief Growth Officer.
A seasoned, growth-driven entrepreneur, Gales was previously a founding executive with Reunion Records and Warner Christian Distribution (Warner Music Group), taking both from startup to successful acquisition. She was a business manager with entertainment firm O’Neil Hagaman, where she built new revenue streams for leading country entertainers and helped launch the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation.
Gales holds an MS degree in communication disorders from North Texas State University and a BS degree in speech pathology from Abilene Christian University.