Our Partnership with CCI
Built for Scale: The Partnership Powering CCI Anesthesia
CCI Anesthesia didn’t need a new name to become a powerhouse. They needed a partner who saw their potential. What started with a rebrand turned into a marketing transformation. The work spanned business development, recruitment, visibility, and consistent growth. Today, Lucid supports nearly every touchpoint of their communication strategy.
The Challenge: Clinical Colleagues, Inc.
When CCI Anesthesia was still known as Clinical Colleagues, Inc., their identity posed a challenge. The name said little about their services. Recognition was low, and explaining what they did slowed every conversation. They turned to Lucid for help.
The solution wasn’t a complete overhaul. We simplified. We recommended moving to “CCI Anesthesia,” an acronym that honored their origins and made their value immediately clear. By retaining their original color palette, we ensured brand recognition through the transition. The goal was to clean up the identity fast so we could shift focus to business growth. It worked.
Shortly after the rebrand, we redeveloped their website to align with the updated identity and support credibility with hospital executives. We expected to assist with a few collateral items like business cards or tradeshow materials. But as we gained visibility into their day-to-day challenges, a more urgent need surfaced—recruitment.
Our Strategy for CCI Anesthesia
Recruiting anesthesiologists had become their critical need. The ideal candidates weren’t local, they were seasoned providers looking for flexibility in schedule and life. Many were based in cities but willing to travel to rural areas in exchange for reduced hours and strong compensation. Reaching them required a shift in approach.
Our strategist proposed using LinkedIn. The platform data showed strong potential, but at the time, few anesthesia groups were using it for large-scale recruitment. When we presented the idea to CEO and Founder Kurt Zumwalt and his executive team, we were transparent about both the risk and the opportunity.
It paid off. LinkedIn became the breakthrough channel that redefined how CCI connected with anesthesiologists and CRNAs nationwide, cutting recruitment costs by more than half. The success set the stage for expansion into programmatic campaigns, which now drive even greater visibility and efficiency across multiple markets.
As President Alex Gorecki shared, “We’re reaching new audiences and our sales pipeline is bursting at the seams.” The early wins gave momentum to build a broader lead-generation strategy.
We developed search campaigns aimed at the administration of rural healthcare centers across the country. Locations varied, but the need was consistent: reliable anesthesia partners who could support rural facilities either locally or through flexible travel arrangements. The strategy focused on high-intent searchers and dedicated landing pages built for conversion. These campaigns helped CCI scale efficiently and generate qualified leads that matched their service footprint. Revenue has more than tripled since the partnership began.
As their reach grew, so did the partnership. Business cards and booths turned into podcasts and video content. New needs emerged, and we continued responding with strategy and scale.
How We Work with CCI Today
CCI’s internal structure has evolved dramatically. The former VP of Marketing, Alex Gorecki, now serves as president. Kurt remains involved as CEO and founder. Doug Simpler, Vice President of Marketing, leads their strategy and continues working closely with Lucid across both recruitment and business development efforts.
Our work now spans both sides of the house. Each has its own budget, performance tracking, and annual plans. What started as a website redesign has grown into a complete multi-channel marketing strategy. The scope includes:
- Paid search and programmatic campaigns
- Content marketing and SEO for both verticals
- Job board management, tailored to client facilities
- Email marketing for tradeshows and job opportunities
- Direct mail, notecards, folders, and holiday campaigns
- Promotional items from scrub caps to socks
- Support for their continuing education and leadership development center
Today, Lucid functions as a core part of the CCI marketing team. The work is strategic, consistent, and continues to drive results.
The Impact of Our Partnership with CCI
Marketing didn’t just support CCI’s growth — it helped shape it. Lucid played a central role in transforming how the company attracts talent, wins contracts, and presents itself in a competitive national landscape. Together, we’ve launched campaigns that filled pipelines, opened new doors, and unlocked real returns.
Vice President of Marketing Doug Simpler explains it this way: “Lucid Advertising consistently outperforms expectations. Their campaigns have driven significant increases in brand visibility and translated into measurable returns on investment.”
Today, CCI doesn’t just have more awareness. They have momentum. Strategic marketing has become a business function, and Lucid is fully embedded as a long-term partner in making it work.
