Healthcare Trust of America Inc (NYSE:HTA), an owner and operator of medical office buildings in the United States, announced yesterday that it has named H Lee Cooper and Jay P Leupp as its new independent directors.

Cooper is a leader in the healthcare industry, including roles in healthcare-focused private equity and more than 25 years with the General Electric Company. Presently, he is an operating partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe where he focuses on healthcare investing. Prior to that time, he served as a long-time executive at GE, most recently as the president & CEO of GE Healthcare Systems, US and Canada, until his recent retirement from GE. In this role, he managed GE Healthcare's core businesses of Imaging, Ultrasound, Life Care Solutions, Enterprise Digital Solutions and Services and collaborated with care providers, healthcare systems and governments to improve healthcare quality, access and affordability.

Leupp is a long-time REIT veteran, with more than 25 years in the publicly-traded real estate markets. Presently, he is the managing director, senior portfolio manager for Lazard Asset Management LLC in San Francisco, California where he has worked since 2011. Prior to that time, he had a long career as a REIT equity analyst, including as a managing director at RBC and Robertson Stephens. He presently serves on the board of directors of GW Williams Company, San Francisco Catholic Charities, and on the Policy Board of the Fisher Center for Real Estate at the University of California, Berkeley.