Robert C. Smith has been named executive vice president of operation at Ascension Insurance Inc. Smith will be responsible for enhancing operating performance across Ascension’s footprint and providing support to each of Ascension’s agency divisions throughout the United States. He will work to maximize efficiency and growth, including facilitating Ascension’s cross-selling activities throughout the organization, as well as supporting future acquisitions. Prior to joining Ascension, Smith was managing director of Beecher Carlson Holdings in Atlanta, where he helped to expand the firm dramatically over the past six years.
The Segal Company, has announced the promotion of two vice presidents in Sibson Consulting, the strategic HR consulting division of Segal. John Kent Graham, JD, has been promoted to vice president and regional director of compliance research. He joined the firm’s New York office as regional director of compliance research in 2001. Susan A. Smith has been promoted to vice president and director, human resources. Smith joined Sibson Consulting’s Princeton office in 1983 and has held multiple administrative, management, and HR positions over the course of more than a 25-year career with the firm.
StayWell Health Management has hired Sue Willette as senior vice president and chief growth officer. Willette has been a mainstay in the health care industry for more than 25 years, serving most recently as worldwide partner and national practice leader of the health and productivity management specialty consulting team at Mercer. Willette worked for StayWell from 1989 to 1996 in sales, national accounts, and special projects. Steve Cox has been named senior account executive to represent the human resource solutions division at FirstPoint Inc., a NC-based information services company. Cox has 25 years of sales and strategic account management experience within the employer group health insurance, private mortgage insurance/mortgage banking, and consumer products industries. He will cover the Alabama, Georgia, and Florida territories with a focus on the health care industry.
Todd Roscoe has been named to the newly created position of chief managed care officer at Healthplace America Inc., a provider of domestic medical travel. Roscoe will develop and oversee managed care operations and provider network development for the company. Roscoe has more than two decades of experience managing and directing multimillion-dollar managed care and provider contracting agreements. Prior to joining Healthplace America, he was president of Talentum CDH, a health care consulting firm specializing in the development of consumer-directed health care plans.
Linda Strand, Pharm.D., Ph.D., has been named executive vice president of professional services at Medication Management Systems Inc. Strand helped found MMS and is an internationally recognized authority on pharmaceutical care and medication therapy management. She is working to expand the availability of medication management services in the medical home. Strand will continue her international work to expand MMS’ business reach and will direct the development of new training and clinical applications for MMS to support patients and their care providers.
The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) installed its 2008-2009 executive board. Russell B. Childers, president of Russ Childers Insurance, was installed as president. As a NAHU member for almost 18 years, Childers has served as president and legislative chair of both his local and state chapters, regional legislative chair, and chair of the national legislative council. Other board members are: President-Elect Steven M. Selinsky, Warner Pacific Insurance Services; Vice President Mel A. Schlesinger, Plans For Health Inc.; Treasurer Bruce D. Benton, Genesis SmithBenton Insurance & Financial Service; Secretary Thomas M. Harte, Landmark Benefits Inc.; Immediate Past President Scott A. Leavitt, Scott Leavitt Insurance & My Wellchoice+; Membership Chair Carolynne E. Muldoon, Colorado Employee Benefit Group LLC; Legislative Chair Jesse A. Patton, Associations Marketing Group Inc.; and regional vice presidents Norman Joseph Michaels, Michaels & Associates; James R. Stenger, NAS Financial Services; Linda M. Erlenbach, L.M. Erlenbach Inc.; Kathryn A. Beals, Dean Health Plan; Christopher S. Harrison, EbenConcepts Co.; Colleen Pruitt, Lubbock, TX; Ruthann Laswick, Black Gould & Associates Inc.; and Donald W. Goldmann, Word & Brown.