Editors’ Note

In 2017, Stephen Shaya, M.D. established his family office, Akkad Holdings, which focuses on healthcare investment opportunities. Since 2004, he has been the Executive Servant Leader at J&B Medical, a global healthcare solutions company. His role oversees all strategy, innovation, and growth for the company. He has received many recognitions including the 2015 Global Distinguished Healthcare Award from the Center of Economic and Leadership Development, and a United States Congressional Commendation. In 2017, Dr. Shaya was named the American Diabetes “Father of the Year.” Dr. Shaya spoke at the Vatican in 2018 on how leveraging technology could help extend care globally. He currently sits on a number of boards including as the Chairman of the American Diabetes Association in Michigan, Henry Ford Hospital (West Bloomfield) Board, and Velatura. Dr. Shaya graduated from Birmingham Brother Rice High School summa cum laude and was awarded a Merit Scholarship to attend Wayne State University. He attended Wayne State University Medical School and graduated in 1996. Dr. Shaya subsequently finished training in Family Practice at North Oakland Medical Center.

Company Briefs

Akkad Holdings is the family office of Stephen Shaya, M.D. The mantra of all of the activities of Akkad Holdings is “People. Purpose. Pay It Forward.”

J&B Medical (jandbmedical.com) is a privately-held global healthcare consortium based in Wixom, Michigan. Founded in 1996, J&B has 18 different business enterprises and has customers globally. The company has brought many new ideas and solutions forward to the delivery of care and continues to strive to improve patient access and quality.

How you define leadership and what are the qualities and characteristics that make an effective leader?

Leadership is about helping others grow themselves while providing a clear vision of what a collective effort can achieve. In these challenging times, leadership is more important than ever. One powerful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson epitomizes my view of leadership – “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Will you highlight the history of J&B Medical and how the company has evolved?

J&B started in 1996 as a traditional medical distribution company with a business-to-business model. We transformed into a data and global healthcare solutions company leveraging technology and innovation. Today, we have numerous different business enterprises which run the gamut from medical distribution to specialty distribution to being one of the largest providers of consumable medical products to homes. In addition, we have a telehealth company providing virtual visits globally and a mail order pharmacy now licensed in 48 states. From our core, we were problem-solvers constantly trying to reinvent ourselves to help our customers manage their most pressing challenges. We have always been focused on building unique partnerships versus doing transactions.

What have been the keys to J&B Medical’s strength and leadership and how do you describe the J&B Medical difference?

J&B Medical has always been a platform of purpose and possibilities. Our mission-driven approach puts people first. In addition, we have always had a long-term approach. The “hunters” are in it for the deal or transaction. My father instilled in us the “farmers” approach which is looking at opportunities with the desire for long-term relationships and business opportunities.

How important is it for to J&B Medical to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when making business decisions?

Diversity and inclusion are incredibly important. It’s critical to have a wide variety of perspectives and skill sets to help meet the growing challenges of the day. For example, we are very proud to have over 100 employees through a unique partnership with Boddy Dodd Institute in Atlanta which helps us provide jobs and opportunities to service-disabled veterans and people with disabilities. We passionately believe in the mantra of “total health” which includes the health of the employees, community, and patients.

What was your vision for creating your family office, Akkad Holdings, and how do you define its mission?

The mantra for Akkad Holdings is “People. Purpose. Pay it Forward.” Our goal is to help people around the world improve their health status with the idea that this can improve their human potential. My family office invests in opportunities that can leverage J&B Medical’s global channels to take advantage of opportunities to improve global health.

Where has Akkad Holdings focused its investments?

We have focused our investments around several key areas including digital health, supply chain solutions, medical devices, and fintech. The most important aspect of our investing is the people involved. With great people, anything is possible.

Where did your passion for philanthropy develop and how do you decide where to focus your efforts?

My late father and maternal grandmother were servant leaders who spent their entire lives giving to those in need. Helping those who could not reciprocate brought them so much joy and fulfillment and instilled in me a passion for finding ways to help to elevate humanity.

You recently received the Presidential Leadership Award and the Presidential Gold Medal at the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association. How special was it to be honored by this organization?

It always feels good to be recognized for something, but the real credit goes to the volunteers all over the country helping to support the FBI and the communities throughout our great nation. In this politically divisive time, we desperately need groups like this who are helping to bring people together, especially during the most challenging situations.

What are your views on the future of work and hybrid work solutions?

The concept of work is definitely changing. For many young people, they are finding ways to work from home such as being influencers on social media or day traders of cryptocurrency. Hence, we are trying to offer hybrid work solutions to make working with us as flexible as possible. Most importantly, many of our new employees join us to be part of something bigger than themselves. I truly feel we have built a culture of servant leadership with the idea that providing access to care globally is a calling and more than just a business doing transactions. Our team has played integral roles in challenging situations like the pandemic and providing humanitarian aid to refugees from Ukraine.

With all that you have achieved in your career, do you enjoy the process and take moments to reflect on your accomplishments?

I definitely appreciate the joy of the journey and am grateful for the times which resulted in positive outcomes. Every step along the way has taught me so much. I have failed more than I have succeeded, but every setback set me up for greater success. When looking forward, so much doesn’t make sense, but after the fact, one can look back and understand how it all fits. My faith in a higher power and greater good has always helped me to see the good in people and opportunities. Reflecting on all of this can be overwhelming as we come from very humble beginnings, but we are rich in family and spirit. I have to share a great quote from Caroline Myss – “Life is a journey of either fate or destiny. Fate is the result of giving into one’s wounds and heartaches. Your destiny unfolds when you rise above the challenges of your life and use them as divine opportunities to move forward to unlock your higher potential.”