Denise Smith to join The Paquin Group as Director of Spa Development

Celebration, Florida, November 3, 2006 – The Paquin Group, www.thepaquingroup.com the nation's leading specialist in healthcare-based retail, today announced the addition of Denise Smith, as the firm's Director of Spa Development.

Smith’s career spans over twenty years of experience in developing, operating and promoting world class spas and resorts. Prior to joining the Paquin Group, Smith was the Operations and Sales Director of a forty thousand square foot spa, located at The Ritz-Carlton-Orlando Grand Lakes Resort.

“Hiring Denise enhances our ability to manage and implement highly successful medical spa operations at our client locations,” stated CEO, Tony Paquin. “Nearly every one of our company’s fifty plus client hospitals are actively evaluating or implementing medical day spa retail operations.”

“I look forward to offering my 25 years experience in the Spa and hospitality industries to help hospitals and health systems. Medical Spa is a concept that's affecting positive change in both the worlds of spa and traditional medicine," said Smith “Medical spas are the facility of choice among women and men seeking medically supervised skin care rejuvenating procedures, anti-aging treatments and other alternative therapies.”

“Like many aspects of healthcare retail, a successful medical spa is dependent upon the integration of quality clinical competencies with non-healthcare retail and operational management skill sets, “explained Paquin. The Paquin Group has developed a proprietary management system called Clinical Connection which focuses on the integration of clinical and retail operations.

“As medical spa’s have grown from 100 in 2002 to over 1,500 in 2006, it is our responsibility to be involved in this quickly evolving market, so we can make sure that state-of-the-art, medically supervised services are provided in a high quality day spa-like environment ,” stated Smith.

Smith holds a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, Pa. She was the recent recipient of the Ritz-Carlton Gold Coin Award. In addition to her tenure with Ritz-Carlton, she directed the sales and marketing initiatives of the Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa. Smith is a Certified Meeting Planner, a member of the Meeting Planners International Group and has led the charge for numerous national and international conferences.

About The Paquin Group

The Paquin Group, the nation’s leading specialist in healthcare-based retail, is an alliance of industry leading experts and resources created to assist hospitals in the implementation of healthcare retail strategies. The company’s core mission is to increase revenue opportunities and minimize risks for healthcare organizations. As Medicare reimbursement rates continue to be pressured downward and expenses rise, new sources for non-reimbursed revenues are becoming essential to the financial viability of hospitals. The Paquin Group helps hospitals identify and implement these new retail revenue strategies.