One of Akron’s newest City Council members is uneasy about a venture capital firm’s plan to acquire Summa Health.
At the end of Monday’s council meeting, Ward 8 Councilman James Hardy publicly called for Summa to pause the sale of the health system to Health Assurance Transformation Corp., a health care company that launched in October and is owned by one of America’s largest venture capital firms, General Catalyst.
“The community has not been consulted at all,” said Hardy, “and we stand to gain or lose the most at the outcome of this proposal. At the very least, Summa owes greater Akron a transparent process where concerns and questions of the general public are asked and answered.”
Hardy, who has a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health policy and management, returned to the Akron government sector following his election in November to the council seat previously held by new Mayor Shammas Malik. Hardy had served in former Mayor Dan Horrigan’s administration, first as his chief of staff, then as deputy mayor for integrated development. He left to take a job at the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation in 2021.