A felt-puppet-style family portrait: Jason in a plaid shirt and glasses, a young child with curly red hair, and Amy in glasses, all smiling on a screened porch. Professional headshot of Jason Bertram in a blue blazer.

jason bertram md facp cpe lssbb (he/him)

Husband, son, and father living and working in beautiful Northeast Ohio. Putting my best foot forward each and every day and trying to make the world around me a better place, just as my family does for me.

Elsewhere

LinkedIn

Physician executive with more than a decade of progressive leadership across the breadth of healthcare — private practice, medical staff, a healthcare collaborative, insurance products, and hospital operations. I have a passion for healthcare quality, process improvement, healthcare strategy, and leadership development, and I maintain clinical practice as a hospitalist on both the collaborative care team and the medical teaching service.

Current

  • Founder / President 2014–present
    Winnow Enterprises / Winnow Consulting
  • Institutional Deciding Official 2026–present
    Aultman Health Foundation
  • Medical Director, Quality / Safety / Experience Dec 2025–present
    Aultman Health Foundation
  • Hospitalist
    Collaborative Care Team & Medical Teaching Service — Aultman Hospital, Canton, Ohio

Experience

  • Medical Director, Inpatient Service Lines Feb 2022–Dec 2025
    Aultman Hospital / Aultman Orrville Hospital
    • Responsible for ~47 FTE (40 provider FTE) across five divisions and two hospitals
    • Promoted service line growth while maintaining quality of care
    • Fostered a collaborative, inclusive team environment — high satisfaction scores, <9% twelve-month turnover
    • All six cost centers exceeded budgetary targets in 2025
    • Clinical rounds with the Collaborative Care Team and internal medicine residents
  • Collaborative Care Hospitalist Nov 2019–Feb 2022
    Aultman Inpatient Medicine
    • Developed and implemented an APRN/MD inpatient rounding model
    • Led regionalization of the model across two health-system hospitals
    • Ongoing process and program development
  • Extensivist Practice Physician / Owner 2013–2019
    201medicine
    • Owner and practitioner in an acute, subacute, and outpatient internal medicine practice
    • Managed nine employees (2 MD, 5 APRN, RN, LPN) and oversaw business operations
    • Provided regional inpatient medical coverage in Stark, Wayne, and Holmes counties

Board of Directors

  • AultCare — Member 2023–present
  • Integrated Health Collaborative — Member 2023–2025
  • Aultman Health System — Ex-Officio Member 2022–2024
  • Aultman Hospital — Ex-Officio Member 2022–2024
  • Stark County Medical Society — Member; President (2020) 2014–2024
  • Dr. Lawrence O.J. Onuora Memorial Hospital (501c3) — Member 2020–2023

Medical Staff Governance

  • Aultman Medical Staff
    • Medical Staff Leadership Committee Chair 2026–present
    • Past President / Officer 2025–present
    • Medical Staff Performance Improvement (MSPI) Chair 2025
    • President 2023–2024
    • Secretary/Treasurer 2019–2022
  • Aultman Healthcare Delivery System (HDS)
    • Pharmacy and Therapeutics — Chair 2023–2025
    • Patient Blood Management — Clinical Executive Sponsor 2023–2025
  • Aultman Orrville Hospital
    • Department of Medicine — Vice Chair 2025–present
    • Department of Medicine — Chair 2023–2024
    • Medical Staff Medical Executive Committee (MEC) — Member At Large 2021–2025

Quality & Utilization

  • Aultman Medical Staff
    • Medical Staff Performance Improvement (MSPI) Chair 2025
    • Inpatient Medicine PI Chair 2021–2022
  • Stark Quality Care Physicians — Vice Chair 2023–present
  • Aultman Orrville Multidisciplinary Quality Management Committee
    • Vice Chair 2026–present
    • Chair 2018–2019
  • AultCare — Peer Review, Utilization Management, and Quality Management/Performance Committee Member

Presentations

  • “Data as the Clinical Rosetta Stone” 2025
    Northeast Ohio Health Care Transformation Forum — Rootstown, Ohio

Education

  • Certified Physician Executive (CPE) 2020–2024
    American Association for Physician Leadership — Washington, DC
    • 193-credit-hour certification / physician MBA equivalency
  • Internal Medicine Residency 2011–2013
    Canton Medical Education Foundation — Canton, Ohio
    • Chief Resident 2012–2013; Housestaff President 2013
  • Transitional Year Residency 2010–2011
    Aultman Hospital — Canton, Ohio
    • TY Education and Graduate Medical Education committee member
  • Doctor of Allopathic Medicine (MD) 2005–2010
    Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) — Rootstown, Ohio
  • BS, Natural Sciences 2002–2005
    The University of Akron — accelerated BS/MD program
    • Co-authored a published study on the SHR Y chromosome

Certifications

  • Board Certification, Internal Medicine — American Board of Internal Medicine
  • Certified Physician Executive (CPE) — American Association for Physician Leadership 2023
  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB) — The Council for Six Sigma Certification 2023
  • Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)

Connect

LinkedIn

Winnow Consulting transforms complex business problems into clear, actionable insight. We combine leading-edge data analysis, intuitive visualization, and practical utilization strategies so clients gain far more than recommendations. They gain the clarity, confidence, and tools to sustain quality improvement long after our engagement ends.

  • Footpath Foundation
  • Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
  • Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
  • Heifer International
  • World Bicycle Relief
  • Fatherhood
  • Cycling
  • Kayaking
  • Hiking
  • Home chef-ing
  • Photography
  • Gin
  • Travel
  • Coffee
  • Cats
  • Scotch

September 2025

A collage of photos of Fred Bertram: laughing while holding his newborn grandchild, parasailing over clear blue water, riding a tandem bicycle, visiting a holiday light display with family, and embracing loved ones at a wedding.

I am truly at a loss for words. My father, Fred Bertram, passed away in September 2025. He was truly a force of nature, and the world is a darker place for his absence.

I could never even begin to describe the contributions he made to my life, so I have decided to share just a few of my favorite (and some not well known) facts about my dad:

  • 1. He stocked the garage freezer with popsicles so he could give them out to the neighborhood kids in the summer.
  • 1a. He could run faster than everyone in the neighborhood so, even if they politely refused, he would chase them down anyway.
  • 2. He made excellent milkshakes (cherry cordial) and could poach one hell of an egg. Anything else he touched in the kitchen: disaster.
  • 3. The first time I would ever meet a colleague of his and he wasn’t around they would immediately take the opportunity to tell me how proud my dad was of me and how endlessly he spoke of my brother and I and how proud we made him. As a kid/teenager/young adult I didn’t understand how powerful this was. I assumed everyone heard this about their parents. It took me many decades to understand just how lucky I was.
  • 4. It drove me nuts every time we would go somewhere when I was a kid because we would always have to stop 1,000,000 times for my dad to talk to someone he knew. I didn’t realize at that young age that us stopping was a direct reflection of what an amazing human he was.
  • 5. The last secret he ever kept was deciding to get my mom a dog for her birthday. He snuck out to the garage to call me and I initially put him off waiting to see if the idea would stick. Every time I saw him for weeks he would bring it up until we finally found her a dog and the rest is history.
  • 6. One of the things I will remember most about him was his love of my daughter, Winifred. He never really was able to understand that his name was part of hers, but what cannot be understated was how much he loved her. All I heard about for months was about the baby and being excited for her to come and, when she finally did, well… you can see that above in the photos. His love of my daughter and her loving him immediately right back is something that will stick with me forever. He also surprised us all by busting out his Donald Duck voice (back in the day he did one heck of a Donald Duck impression!) and that voice not only brought back memories for me, but made one more child laugh and giggle.

To those of you who knew us both, you understand how much of a contribution he made to my life. Silly things, such as a love of cars, watches and trains, to the way we interact with the world to our energy and sense of humor. To say I’ve lost someone profound is an understatement.

I am devastated to share that he is gone. He and my mother Cyndie handled many years of challenges with a strength and grace that are immeasurable, and their example is a constant reminder of why I have been so fortunate in my own life. These things do not happen by accident, and I am proud to be my parents’ child and I will forever be grateful to my dad for helping shape me in to the person that I am and I can only dream of a future in which Winnie looks to me with 1% of the admiration I have for my own father.

The future will be about telling his stories and remembering his impact and that will be hard, and ugly, and sad, and different. The only thing that makes it bearable is remembering that I have such an unending supply of wonderful memories to share in his name. I love you dad, and I will certainly miss you.

Obituary — Frederick W. Bertram

February 13, 1954 — September 8, 2025

Portrait of Fred Bertram.

The world lost one of the all-time greats. Fred Bertram, 71, of Canton, passed away on Monday, September 8th, surrounded by friends and family, befitting his long legacy of laughter and friendship. In his seventy-one years, Fred never met a stranger — his natural charisma, quick wit, and charming smile made every room brighter. He was the first to make you laugh and just as quick to offer encouragement or sage advice. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his family or friends, and he did it all without anyone needing to ask. If there was work you needed done, Fred was the first one in line to help you carry the load. And he did it all under the radar without seeking recognition because that was the kind of man Fred was.

Fred met the love of his life, his wife Cyndie, when he sat beside her (without asking!) in piano class at Kent State University 49 years ago. Neither could play a note, so he decided to just turn the electric piano off and pretend to be playing along. Their courtship turned to marriage 47 years ago, and they spent the decades filling a wonderful, shared life of happiness and were known to break into frequent fits of laughter. They were fortunate enough to take many trips together, and, though happy anywhere just being together, Myrtle Beach remains home to many of their fondest memories. In more recent times, they took daily walks together with their beloved dog, Bella, also known as “the kid.” Originally a birthday surprise from Fred to Cyndie, Bella and Fred became inseparable over the past few years.

Fred is also survived by his two sons, Bryan and Jason (Amy), and he never missed an opportunity to share with others how endlessly proud he was of them. He also leaves behind three grandchildren — Barrett, Kellen, and Winifred, all three of whom were fortunate enough to make many happy memories with their Poppa. He is survived by his mother, Kathryn; brother, Steve (Maria); and mother-in-law, Joanne DeChellis. He is also survived by his sons’ Godparents and dear friends, Jerry and Laureen Wright, and Steve and Marcia Teolis. Ever loved, there are many other family members left with countless treasured memories of Fred. He was preceded in death by his brother, Bob, and father-in-law, Chuck DeChellis.

In keeping with the spirit of family, Fred found brotherhood spending 33 years in the Canton City Fire Department as a firefighter, captain, and president of the firefighters’ union. He also spent 25 years as an educator at Stark State College beginning as an instructor and becoming Department Chair of Fire Sciences. His passion for teaching was recognized when he received the Ohio Fire Educator Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Fred’s life was a celebration of connection — family, friends, colleagues, and students were all lifted up by his selflessness, generosity, and positive presence. He will always be remembered for the joy he gave so freely and the love he carried for the family and friends he held so dear.

Our family would like to thank everyone for being with Fred in his final days, as no one deserved to be surrounded by loved ones more than someone who gave so freely. A special thank you to the Aultman Compassionate Care Center for their exemplary care. Also thank you to Dr. Marvin Rossi, whose incredible compassion and dedication to our family enabled us to make so many extra beautiful memories these past few years.

Calling hours took place at the Rossi Family Funeral Home on Sunday, September 14th, from 4 p.m.–7 p.m., followed by the Canton City Fire Department’s Last Alarm service at 7:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Sunshine Foundation, Coach Across America, or your favorite charity.

Originally published by Rossi Family Funeral Home.