The Medical Alley Association on Monday announced five new board members.

The new directors all come from Medical Alley member companies. The new members are:

• Tom Lindquist, CEO of Allina Health-Aetna;
• Darren Moquist, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual for the Central Region;
• Asheesh Saksena, president of Best Buy Health;
• Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota; and
• Mike Spicer, president of the medical business at Cantel Medical.

In a news release, Medical Alley officials say the new members join the organization at a “critical time.” In April, the association announced plans to launch a “healthcare transformation initiative,” with the broad goal of spurring business model changes in the health care industry.

Medical Alley has lined up an undisclosed hospital to serve as a “demonstration lab” for projects and pilots emerging from the initiative, according to the association’s request for proposals in July.

In its RFP document, the organization said it was seeking a consulting firm to help execute the initiative.

“Over the past five years, [Medical Alley] has recruited board leadership from every sector of healthcare, representing leading organizations,” association officials wrote in the RFP. “[Medical Alley] has brought together a unique table of leaders that aspire to collectively influence the transformation of healthcare.”

The RFP closed on July 31.