Meet the Authors
Who We Are
Utilization Management University is a specialized educational and consulting platform with a mission to empower organizations through innovative, holistic approaches. With nearly two decades of experience, we collaborate closely with leadership teams across healthcare and beyond to provide tailored solutions that enhance efficiency, foster integration, and achieve sustainable success.
John Zelem is a multi-faceted professional with a diverse skill set including consultancy, education, public speaking, and content creation. With over two decades of experience working with various organizations and 26 years as a practicing surgeon, he possesses a fervent drive for success, high achievement, motivation, and attention to detail. This extensive background has enabled him to develop a holistic approach and a program known as Utilization Management 360 for healthcare and business silos, the principles of which applies to any industry thus establishing his credibility to effectively teach these courses on organizational silos and prevention vs. correction.
Jim Zelem is a seasoned operations professional with over 30 years of experience in process engineering, team building, and continuous improvement. As an electrical engineer, he honed his ability to develop and refine processes for maximum efficiency while fostering teamwork by aligning individual efforts toward shared goals. With strong leadership, effective communication, and strategic use of resources, he specializes in creating meaningful KPIs and empowering teams to achieve excellence. Jim’s career highlights include developing strategic relationships across the U.S. and Europe to manage contracts and projects in industries such as aerospace, automotive, government, and publishing. His achievements range from manufacturing aerospace relays and shielding rooms for MRI suites to overseeing digital image capture for publishing and testing automotive equipment. Jim also taught leadership courses for AAIM (formerly the American Association of Industrial Management), chaired the New Haven chapter of ASQ (American Society for Quality), and officiated high school football for 18 years, further enhancing his teamwork and leadership skills.