Brady Ware Honored With Two Awards
Brady Ware, Gary Brown Honored by OPRA
The Ohio Provider Resource Association (OPRA) honored Brady Ware and Gary Brown during their annual conference held October 23-24, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Each year, the OPRA team, Board of Directors, and the entire OPRA community honor the incredible professionals, partners, and volunteers who support Ohioans with disabilities in living their best lives.
This year’s award recipients exemplify the passion, commitment, and resilience that define the excellence of those supporting and serving the developmentally disabled community.
“Great partners don’t just deliver a service, they transform systems, elevate people, and leave organizations better than they found them. Their team didn’t just step in, they stepped up, offering personalized, high-level financial strategy while never losing sight of the mission that drives our work.”
–Michelle Madden, CEO of EPIC
Special Recognition Recipient
Gary Brown, a longtime leader and shareholder emeritus with Brady Ware, received a special recognition award. Brown is a recognized expert in numerous areas including Medicaid Reimbursement, Provider Service Negotiations, and related operational matters, and continues to provide consulting services to Intermediate Care Facilities as well as Home and Community Based (HCBS) Medicaid Waiver service providers throughout Ohio.
Associate Member Impact Award Recipient
As the Associate member Impact Award recipient of the year, Brady Ware’s Long-Term Care (LTC) team was honored for their outstanding service and partnership with Independence of Portage County known as EPIC.
From Michelle Madden, CEO of EPIC, and her nomination of Brady Ware:
Great partners don’t just deliver a service—they transform systems, elevate people, and leave organizations better than they found them. That’s exactly what Betty Collins, Tammy Brown, and the entire Brady Ware team have done for EPIC. As we’ve grown and evolved, so has our need for a stronger, smarter financial foundation. Betty, Tammy, and their team didn’t just step in — they stepped up, offering personalized, high-level financial strategy while never losing sight of the mission that drives our work. They’ve been true collaborators, helping to strengthen our fiscal operations, increase transparency, and support long-term sustainability.
Through their expertise and thoughtful approach, Brady Ware has helped take EPIC’s financial systems to the next level: streamlining reporting, improving forecasting, and aligning our operational processes with our values and vision. Their guidance has allowed us to confidently make bold decisions that ultimately enhance services for the people we support. But what makes this partnership exceptional isn’t just technical expertise — it’s trust. Brady Ware has been a steady, reliable ally, offering guidance with grace and professionalism. They understand the complexities of our work, and they meet every challenge with responsiveness, creativity, and care. They go beyond “business as usual,” they build capacity, coach with intention, and empower us to lead with both heart and precision.
Through their partnership, they’ve made a meaningful impact not only on EPIC but across Ohio’s provider community. Their deep understanding of the developmental disabilities field has helped inform smarter financial practices, which in turn support higher-quality services. In alignment with EPIC’s core values, Brady Ware exemplifies: Thoughtfulness through strategic, individualized financial planning. Authenticity in every interaction: honest, clear, and values-based. Community by walking alongside providers, not above or apart from them. Transformation through systems that empower innovation and growth. Belonging by helping ensure our resources are used to create environments where individuals and staff alike can thrive.
We are deeply grateful for this partnership and proud to nominate Betty Collins, Tammy Brown, and the Brady Ware team for the 2025 Associate Member Impact Award.