Ernst & Young LLP's John Distefano named one of Consulting Magazine's Top 25 Consultants for 2012

NEW YORK, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP announced that John Distefano, Principal, has been named one of Consulting magazine's Top 25 Consultants for 2012. Distefano was selected for an Excellence in Healthcare award for his contributions to building the practice and transforming Ernst & Young LLP's Health Care Advisory Services into one of the fastest growing sectors in the business. The award will be presented at a gala event at the Essex House in New York on June 14, 2012.

"Ernst & Young is extremely proud of John and thrilled, but not surprised, that his pioneering leadership and expertise in health care are being honored by the industry," said Chell Smith, the global Ernst & Young organization's Americas Advisory Markets Leader. "John's vision and positive leadership have contributed to tremendous growth in our business and have mobilized our people in truly inspiring ways."

Distefano was among 476 nominees considered by Consulting magazine. He was nominated by Smith who was honored by the publication for her leadership in 2011.

As a member of Ernst & Young LLP's national Health Care Reform steering committee and co-leader of the global Ernst & Young organization's Health Advisory network, Distefano works with clients to align their business strategies to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by ongoing health care industry transformation. He is credited with increasing the average account size of Ernst & Young LLP's top 10 accounts in health care and moving the entire national portfolio of health care accounts into priority sector status.

"I'm honored by this recognition and grateful to my colleagues and clients who motivate me to continually challenge myself," said Distefano. "It's a great privilege to work for a firm and with clients who share a vision for how things can be, and who are totally committed to improving the system and transforming it into one that genuinely meets people's health care needs."

Prior to joining Ernst & Young LLP and the consulting profession, Distefano's background includes corporate experience where, for nearly a decade, he held various management positions with the nation's largest health information systems company specializing in hospital financial and clinical systems.

The full list of award recipients and related stories appear in the May 2012 issue of Consulting magazine and is available at http://consultingmag.com.

About Ernst & Young's Advisory Services
The relationship between risk and performance improvement is an increasingly complex and central business challenge, with business performance directly connected to the recognition and effective management of risk. Whether your focus is on business transformation or sustaining achievement, having the right advisors on your side can make all the difference. Our 25,000 advisory professionals form one of the broadest global advisory networks of any professional organization, delivering seasoned multidisciplinary teams that work with our clients to deliver a powerful and superior client experience. We use proven, integrated methodologies to help you achieve your strategic priorities and make improvements that are sustainable for the longer term.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited that provides professional services to clients in the US.

SOURCE Ernst & Young LLP