To alleviate suffering by providing expert medical care with kindness and compassion.
Our LEGACY Our FUTURE
To alleviate suffering by providing expert medical care with kindness and compassion.
After a year of work in South America, Dr. Jim Brand practiced in rural Hawaii for 8 years. The work there inspired a passion to provide excellent healthcare in rural and remote communities.
2002
In 2002, Victoria Emergency Associates was formed through a partnership with DeTar Healthcare System in Victoria, Texas.
A new group practice was developed with the mission of providing emergency medical care with kindness and compassion.
VEA, through its 200 professionals provides emergency services at 18 different locations and hospitalist services at 5 facilities.
2002
Our Future
VEA’s growth has occurred through direct referrals by hospital partners, clinicians, and healthcare executives.
In May 2017, VEA expanded through a partnership with CHRISTUS Health to be its clinical emergency medicine provider within greater San Antonio.
VEA expanded efforts to help rural and urban hospitals achieve efficiencies by optimizing the use of Advanced Practice Professional, telemedicine, and solutions yet unseen.
We envision a future of growth with hospital partners whom we share values. The future is exciting as we look forward to the upcoming challenges and opportunities.
Dr. Brand founded VEA in 2002 with the goal of providing quality and compassionate medical care, while being a trustworthy and responsive partner to the hospitals and communities VEA serves. Raised in rural Texas, Dr. Brand’s desire to be a physician began as a child. He graduated from Duke University and the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. His post-graduate training was at the New York Infirmary. His drive to serve others was inspired by his mother’s profound faith and a longing to make the world a better place. Additionally, his family’s faith was strengthened by the experiences of his father who fled Austria at age 15 to escape the violence of Hitler. His work experience includes being a lifeguard, a waiter, a laborer, an assistant to the rehabilitation officer of a state penitentiary, and a host of other jobs. He worked clinically as an emergency physician for 42 years in Hawaii, New York, Chile, Peru, and rural and urban Texas. Dr. Brand takes great pleasure in spending time with his family, traveling, and scuba diving.
Dan Kirkpatrick is the Vice-Chairman of VEA’s Advisory Board where he brings his considerable experience to advise the financial and operational of our business. Dan has extensive experience in serving healthcare providers throughout the United States and has guided the practice management operations of Victoria Emergency Associates since 2015. In 2014, Dan co-authored the widely acclaimed book, The Hospital Executive’s Guide to Emergency Department Management. Dan grew up in rural Pennsylvania as the son of an internist and a nurse, and developed a passion for improving access to healthcare for everyone. His career started in hospital administration but ultimately Dan turned to growing physician groups through better management and administration. Eventually Dan found a home as the Chief Financial Officer at Victoria Emergency Associates, where he fell in love with our deeply independent culture. Dan holds a BA in Psychology from the College of Wooster and an MS in Healthcare Administration from The Ohio State University. In his spare time, Dan is an accomplished athlete, loves fishing, and teaches cycling at his local YMCA.
Dr. Kester entered the U.S Air Force in 1993 as an Airman Basic. He completed his enlistment, finished his Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1999 at Texas Lutheran University before re-entering the Air Force. He completed his medical degree in 2003 at UTHSCSA and finished his residency in Emergency Medicine in 2006 at Brooke Army Medical Center. Prior to VEA, he worked in academics and the U.S Air Force, where he was responsible for all emergency medical services in the USAF. He retired from the U.S Air Force in 2019. Before becoming CMO, Dr. Kester worked as the ER Medical Director for Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills. His responsibilities included being Chief of Staff elect and chairing the hospital peer review committee.
Freddy Koenig joined VEA as Chief Financial Officer in May 2024 and will be responsible for overseeing practice operations and financial performance. Before joining VEA, Freddy was Vice President at HNI Healthcare, the Chief Operating Officer at ASAS Health, and the Regional Vice President of Operations at Sound Physicians.Since growing up in coastal South Texas, Freddy has focused his career on helping independent physician groups with strategic planning, operational optimization, and executing growth initiatives. His deep roots and a strong network in the Lonestar State and his passion for growing independent physician businesses make him strongly aligned with VEA’s culture. Freddy holds a BS in Biology from Texas A&M and a MS in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University. In his leisure time, he enjoys staying active and spending time with his family.
Dr. Dunn grew up in the South Texas towns of Hebbronville and Kingsville and spent many years hunting in the brush country and fishing on the Texas coast. His undergraduate education was at Baylor University, followed by medical school at the University of Texas Medical School, Houston. He completed an Emergency Medicine Residency in Phoenix, Arizona and has been board-certified in Emergency Medicine since 1996. He is currently the treasurer and on the Board of Directors of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians and is fluent in Spanish.
Jennifer oversees all medical staff services. Her specialty is resolving scheduling emergencies and she is a wizard at solving complex scheduling issues. She is an industry professional with more than 30 years of experience in emergency department operations, which includes, but is not limited to, all aspects of credentialing and scheduling.
Shari manages all payroll functions, key human resource responsibilities, and the preparation of clinician contracts. She concurrently holds the position of Human Resource Manager with Endeavor Healthcare in New Braunfels, where she has worked since 2014. Previously, Shari worked 8 years as an assistant to the Athletic Director at New Braunfels High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas State University. In her spare time, Shari officiates National Federation and Collegiate volleyball. Shari and her husband have three sons, Connor (27), Cale (25), and Crayton (20).
Lee’s understanding and involvement of pre-hospital processes and experience in Emergency Medicine help keep VEA on the cutting edge of quality patient care. He regularly attends Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council Committee meetings and assists VEA’s emergency departments with growth and marketing efforts. Lee serves as our Risk Manager. Lee came to VEA with over 20 years in the air medical industry. He has served onboard aircraft both in North Carolina and Texas as a Licensed Paramedic and Flight Nurse. Most recently he served as the General Manager for San Antonio AirLIFE and oversaw the general operations of seven base locations.
As Controller, Michael oversees all financial affairs for VEA, including managing all accounting functions. He develops internal controls, produces financial reports, provides financial analysis, invoicing, and helping with business strategy and policy. As a part of VEA’s executive team, he collaborates to promote sustainable, and values minded value-driven solutions with a goal of continuous improvement. Driven Guided by a sense of duty to the mission, he has spent the last 20 years in executive leadership and corporate finance in diverse industries. Michael is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. In his free time, he enjoys music, camping, boating, spending time outdoors, and cuddling with his pet snakes.
As VEA’s Administrative Assistant, Gloria is charged with coordinating logistics, special events and other critical needs required by VEA and our providers. Gloria’s compassion and ability to be intuitive to other’s needs have made her a perfect fit for our group. In our office, she is referred to as our Chief Cultural Officer. She is originally from South Texas and attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. She has 40 years’ experience in the dental and medical fields. In her spare time, Gloria enjoys traveling, event planning, and spending time outdoors.