About us
Advancing Healthcare Innovation Through Expert Guidance
RLDunn & Associates Inc. is a team of experienced healthcare business professionals focused on advancing technological innovation across all sectors of healthcare. Our advisory services are provided to those who wish to harness new technology and truly make a difference in the lives of patients and providers.
Founded on decades of combined industry experience, our consultants have held senior leadership positions at major technology and healthcare organizations, giving us unparalleled insight into the complexities of healthcare operations, technology implementation, and market dynamics. This real-world expertise, combined with our extensive network of relationships across Canadian healthcare systems, positions us as trusted advisors to organizations navigating the evolving healthcare landscape.
Our Philosophy
Ron didn't set out to build a consulting firm that looks like everyone else's.
He founded RLDunn & Associates on a simple premise: clients deserve advice from people who have actually run the business, not just studied it.
It's a standard shared by everyone on the team — advisors who have spent their own careers inside the operating realities of healthcare technology businesses: the budgets, the staffing decisions, the market pressures, the wins and the near-misses.
That perspective shapes every engagement RLDunn & Associates takes on — direct, accountable, and focused on outcomes the team is proud to put its name behind.
TEAM
Meet Our Experts
Ron Dunn
Founder & Managing Partner, RLDunn & Associates
Ron Dunn is a health technology industry consultant and senior executive with a track record of success spanning Canada, the United States, and international markets.
His career combines deep technical expertise in healthcare IT with the executive leadership to turn that expertise into results — for vendors, providers, government, and investors alike.
A 26-Year Foundation at McKesson
Ron spent 26 years at McKesson Corporation, ultimately leading the company's healthcare information technology business in Canada as Canadian Vice President — running a Canadian P&L generating more than $100 million in annual revenue.
Under his leadership, McKesson secured and deployed Canada's largest PACS and Diagnostic Imaging Repository (DI-r) project, a win that anchored the company's position in the country's medical imaging market.
Industry Leadership and Recognition
Ron's influence extends well beyond any single organization. He was a founding vice-chair of the Canadian Healthcare Information Technology Trade Association (now Technation Health), serving from 2001 to 2015, and in 2012 was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contribution to Canada's health informatics industry.
He has also served as an instructor with the OBIO Health 2 Business Bridge (H2BB) program, which connects talent across Canada's health science sector, and continues to advise start-ups on market access, stakeholder engagement, funding, and product marketing.
Building RLDunn & Associates
After 26 years with McKesson, Ron founded RLDunn & Associates in 2015 to help health technology companies achieve financial success through focused, hands-on advisory work. Since then, his engagements have included:
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Developing and implementing Canadian go-to-market strategies for major health technology companies;
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Leading business recovery projects for medium and large North American health technology firms — resulting in new products, reduced expenses, and renewed revenue growth;
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Managing and participating in numerous healthcare technology mergers and acquisitions, from feasibility analysis through due diligence and relationship management;
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Advising major EHR, medical imaging, and health technology companies worldwide on business development and growth opportunities, interim executive management, strategic planning, product planning, strategic partnerships, and market entry strategies;
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Supporting private equity clients evaluating opportunities in the medical imaging and private clinic market;
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Advising health technology start-ups on all aspects of business management, growth, partnerships, and organizational design.
Today, RLDunn & Associates provides strategic advisory services across a broad range of disciplines, markets, and stakeholders — bringing the same depth of experience in clinical and financial software applications, medical imaging (PACS, VNA), and pharmacy automation that has defined Ron's career.
Beyond the Boardroom
Ron is also active in the not-for-profit sector, contributing his time and expertise to the boards of the Canadian Medical Equipment Protection Plan (CMEPP) and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Dennis Rankin
Partner, RLDunn & Associates
Dennis Rankin is an independent health industry professional specializing in information technology, with hands-on experience across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Since 1991, he has led regionalization initiatives and built collaborative relationships between vendors and hospital communities — work that has made him a trusted advisor across the health technology landscape.
A Career Built on Strategic Leadership
Dennis has held senior leadership roles throughout his career, including CEO of a Shared Services Group and Acting CIO for organizations navigating transition — most notably at Cancer Care Manitoba, where he also led the recruitment of his permanent replacement. His experience spans strategic planning, software product acquisitions, independent project reviews, business plan development, and contract negotiation.
In 2009, Dennis received the Coach Leadership Award in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of health informatics. He was also elected to the Board of Peel Mutual Insurance, where he served from 2004 to 2017.
Project Leadership Across the Health Technology Sector
Dennis has provided leadership and professional advice on a wide range of high-impact projects, including:
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Serving as executive lead for the Toronto East Network's Canada Health Infoway DI-repository project, and establishing OCINet (formerly HDIR's) — a shared service organization created to operate DI-repositories with proper governance and resources, later expanded to additional hospital regions;
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Providing strategic planning support for OCINet, VNA planning, and the merger of multiple DI-repositories;
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Supporting business planning for Canada Health Infoway's Virtual Care strategy;
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Leading stakeholder engagement and strategic planning for the Southwestern Ontario "Clinical Connects" initiative;
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Conducting market research for investors launching new products in the Canadian market;
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Delivering strategic planning, product management, and software development advice for McKesson Canada and McKesson UK;
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Supporting due diligence for mergers and acquisitions of software companies in the health technology industry;
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Leading business readiness reviews for new product launches;
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Establishing multiple shared service organizations providing IT services in healthcare.
A Partner Who Delivers
Dennis moves fluidly between strategic advisory work and operational leadership, making him a valuable partner for organizations at every stage — whether they're planning a major regional initiative, evaluating an acquisition, or navigating a leadership transition. His deep familiarity with the healthcare technology ecosystem, paired with decades of direct executive experience, ensures clients get advice that is both strategically sound and practically achievable.
Nicola Pietralunga
Strategy, Tech, Cloud, and AI Advisor, RLDunn & Associates
Nicola Pietralunga brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise and strategic business acumen built over 30 years spanning software development, cloud architecture, product management, and operations.
Experience and Career
Former CTO, COO, and senior partner at Sigla.com—a company specializing in cloud solutions and software development that serves over 200 clients—he excels at quickly understanding any type of business, drawing on his extensive experience to discuss and analyze needs, dynamics, and opportunities.
He has held executive roles across Italy and Canada, delivering technology strategies that bridge business goals and technical execution.
What He Brings to the Table
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20 Years of experience as Chief of IT/Software Development and R&D departments;
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Managed the process of complete digitization and transfer into the cloud of many SMEs, defining main objectives, identifying possible issues, anticipating problems and fostering the correct approach to cloud and SAAS services by the entire workforce;
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Exceptional capability of talking to both business and technical stakeholders (business units leaders, marketing, finance, engineering leaders, C-Suite) with clarity and effectiveness generating enthusiasm, involvement and a spirit of collaboration.
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Deep knowledge of AI solutions, Prompt Engineering, AI Skills Development, Agentic Orchestration, and re-engineering of legacy processes using AI techniques and tools, transforming any company in an AI-first organization.
Education and Skills
Educated in Law and Economics at the University of Bologna, certified in cloud computing and marketing management, Nicola advises RLDunn & Associates clients on IT strategy, AI and cloud adoption, and market access.
He is fluent in Italian, English, and French, and is a FIDE-rated chess player at master level.