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Steve Schiess

Steve Schiess is an operating executive at Avista Capital Partners.  Mr. Schiess was retained by Avista Capital Partners in 2020.  Mr. Schiess is a veteran executive with over 30 years of operational, marketing and sales experience in the dental and medical devices and technologies industries.  Mr. Schiess most recently served as CEO of Zest Dental Solutions, a former Avista portfolio company.  He held this position from 2010.  During his tenure, Mr. Schiess helped transform the business from a single product company, into a robust dental platform with multiple and diverse growth drivers.  Over his eight years leading Zest, Mr. Schiess was instrumental in leading the company through two successful transitions in ownership, including Avista’s sale of Zest to BC Partners in 2018.  Prior to his time at the helm of Zest, Mr. Schiess worked in executive leadership positions for Biomet 3i for eleven years.  The last five years, serving as president for the third largest implant company in the world.  Over his 20 years in the dental industry, Mr. Schiess has developed a keen understanding of the global dental market, across the surgical, restorative and regenerative segments.  Prior to his time in the dental industry, he was active in the cardiovascular and cardiothoracic medical devices space.   Mr. Schiess was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Cordis, a portfolio company of Cardinal Health (then a Johnson & Johnson Company), and prior to this, held various leadership positions with Deknatel, then a division of Pfizer.

Mr. Schiess earned a Bachelors degree in Business, Management, Marketing and Related Services from Florida State University.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Solmetex and Director of Spear Education.