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Leadership

Benjamin Strong.MD

Benjamin W. Strong, MD
Chief Medical Officer

Benjamin W. Strong, MD

Dr. Benjamin W. Strong oversees clinical, operational, and ethical standards as vRad’s Chief Medical Officer since 2014. He also serves as the lead physician for development of vRad’s radiologist reading platform and artificial intelligence programs, along with oversight of our quality assurance and physician education programs. He is licensed to practice in all 50 U.S. states.

Dr. Strong has an extensive background in academic and private practice radiology before joining vRad in 2005. His credentials include a Fellowship in Musculoskeletal MRI from the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, where he also completed his radiology residency. Prior to that, Dr. Strong completed an internal medicine residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.

In 2014, he was recognized as Diagnostic Imaging's "Top Radiologist to Watch" and has served on ACR committees for Emergency Radiology and Teleradiology. He is currently on the membership committee of the American College of Emergency Radiology. Dr. Strong is passionate about developing radiology CME content for vRad Education, YouTube, and live events including lecturing for residency programs around the country.

Outside of work, Dr. Strong enjoys traveling with his family and is exploring every state in the U.S. on his motorcycle. He is an avid learner and enjoys mastering the guitar.

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Gerry Fitterer

Gerry Fitterer
Chief Executive Officer

Gerry Fitterer

Gerry Fitterer is the Chief Executive Officer at vRad, bringing a wealth of experience and leadership to the practice. He joined vRad in 2016 and has since played a pivotal role in its growth and success. Gerry holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of North Dakota and earned his Master of Business Administration with a focus on Finance from the University of St. Thomas—Opus College of Business.

Prior to his tenure at vRad, Gerry served as the Chief Financial Officer of Acuo Technologies and held various executive leadership positions. He is also a retired Officer of the United States Navy and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Minnesota.

In his free time, Gerry enjoys spending time with his family, running marathons, biking, and fishing.

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Wade Steigauf

Wade Steigauf
Chief Information Officer

Wade Steigauf

As Chief Information Officer, Wade provides strategic direction and development leadership for vRad’s information technology, radiology platform, internal applications, and artificial intelligence program. Since joining vRad in 2005, Wade has been central to our technological transformation, introducing a suite of radiology applications including the FDA-cleared vRad PACS, numerous AI models, and a highly efficient dictation and reporting platform.

Wade’s commitment extends beyond innovation; he is dedicated to creating a thriving work environment and ensuring vRad’s technology infrastructure is scalable, reliable, secure, and cost-effective. He has been instrumental in establishing key teams in product management, software development, technology quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and project management.

Wade balances his professional life with diverse interests. He is an enthusiastic reader, lover of the outdoors, and enjoys playing hockey and disc golf.

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Ryan Check

Ryan Check
General Counsel

Ryan Check

Ryan Check, the General Counsel at vRad, joined the practice in July 2010. He is a distinguished legal professional who plays a pivotal role in vRad's operations and strategy.

Ryan earned his law degree with summa cum laude honors from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. His diverse skillset also includes a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Prior to his tenure at vRad, Ryan advised clients on corporate governance and M&A transactions in the Corporate Finance & Transactions group of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP in Minneapolis.

In his current role, Ryan is responsible for managing vRad's internal and external legal services and advising vRad’s executive leadership team.

Outside of his professional commitments, Ryan enjoys cooking, hiking, coaching baseball, and spending quality time with his wife and children.

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Michelle Torkelson

Michelle Torkelson
Sr. Vice President, Human Resources & Medical Services

Michelle Torkelson

Michelle Torkelson joined vRad in 2007. As the Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Medical Services, she is a driving force behind the practice's commitment to its people. With an extensive background in HR and leadership development, Michelle plays a crucial role in shaping vRad's culture and effectiveness.

Her responsibilities encompass a wide spectrum, including strategic initiatives for human capital development, fostering a vibrant corporate culture, enhancing communication, optimizing organizational effectiveness, nurturing team member relations, managing compensation structures, and facilitating leadership and professional development.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Michelle finds solace and joy in cooking. She also cherishes quality time with her young family.

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Joe Schmugge

Joe Schmugge
Chief Operating Officer

Joe Schmugge

Joe Schmugge, vRad's Chief Operating Officer, is a seasoned leader with a passion for the practice's mission. Having joined vRad in 2004, Joe's brings a unique blend of expertise in practice management and technology collaboration, leveraging data-driven decisions to challenge the status quo and drive continuous improvement.

Before his appointment as COO in 2023, Joe has managed all areas of vRad operations and played a key role in the seamless integration of three separate practice acquisitions, totaling over 1,300 hospitals and serving more than 50,000 active client-portal users.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Joe enjoys spending quality time with his wife and young children. He has a diverse range of interests, including gaming, movies, sci-fi books, and video editing. Joe's unwavering dedication and ability to lead vRad's operations with a focus on innovation and patient care make him an integral part of the practice's leadership team.

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Evan Ebner

Evan Ebner
Sr. Vice President of National Development

Evan Ebner

Evan Ebner, the Senior Vice President of National Development, joined the practice in July 2015, bringing with her a strong background in sales leadership.

Evan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting & Information Management from the University of Texas. With over a decade of experience in sales leadership within the radiology and healthcare sectors, Evan is deeply committed to delivering exceptional results and ensuring an outstanding experience for vRad's extensive network of over 1,600 client hospitals, health systems, and radiology group clients across the United States.

In her role, Evan sets the strategic direction for her team of dedicated professionals, focusing on providing innovative and superior solutions to meet the evolving needs of vRad's clients and the practice.

Outside of her professional life, Evan enjoys spending time with her family and is an active enthusiast of the great outdoors, with a love for activities such as cooking, scuba diving, hiking, and camping.

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Non-Clinical Inquiries:
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800.737.0610

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011.1.952.595.1111

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