Susan Lang, 50, senior executive, health care strategist and entrepreneur who is now working on developing her own business.

Family Single and lives in Chesterfield with two rescue cats, Sedona and Linus. Originally from New York, Lang is the second of four children born to Carol and Al Lang, who are retired and live in St. Augustine, Fla. Al was an executive with Western Electric; Carol ran the business end of an oral surgery practice. Siblings are Brad Lang, 52, a lawyer in Naples, Fla.; Cheryl Creamer, 48, a nurse and major in the U.S. Army; and Jeff Lang, 44, a race car mechanic in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Susan has six nieces.

Education Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, N.C., 1979; University of Florida, B.S., marketing and business, 1983; Stetson University, DeLand, Fla., MBA, 1987; University of Memphis, M.A., medical anthropology, 2000.

Did you start working in health care right after you completed your undergraduate degree?

Definitely not. I went to work for a bank stationer in Miami. I was a sales rep. I got the job because I could speak Spanish. I didn't start working in health care until after I got my MBA and went to work for the University of Florida hospital setting up clinical service lines.

When did you move to St. Louis and what got you here?

I moved here in 2001 to go to work for BJC. I was vice president of managed care strategy and contracting and wound up working on a turnaround of their financial situation. It was very successful.

How long were you there?

I was there until 2003, when I left to become assistant vice chancellor and chief business development officer for the University of Massachusetts Medical School. I also was the senior policy official for the state of Massachusetts.

So you moved into and out of St. Louis twice? When did you move back after you left for Massachusetts?

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Health care professional with anthropological bent