Health & Fitness
Health and Fitness
Health and Fitness
Tue, October 12, 2010
Mon, October 11, 2010
TAMPA, Fla.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) today announced that effective October 18, 2010, Jesse Thomas will join WellCare as president, South Division. In addition, Lawrence D. Anderson has been named senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Both executives will report to Alec Cunningham, chief executive officer.
"I look forward to working with my new colleagues as we build upon this strong foundation."
aWe are delighted that Jesse and Larry are joining WellCarea™s senior management team,a said Mr. Cunningham. aThey have extensive leadership experience in the health care industry and proven track records in their respective fields. They bring knowledge, expertise and perspective that will make them valuable additions to the company.a
As president of WellCarea™s South Division, Mr. Thomas will be responsible for WellCarea™s businesses in Georgia, Texas and Louisiana. He has more than 25 years of health care industry experience, most recently as the president of Molina Healthcare of Michigan and Ohio. Prior to Molina Healthcare, Mr. Thomas served as the chief/administrator of the Office of Healthcare Purchasing for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, where he was responsible for leading the integration of health care procurement functions for four of the statea™s agencies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Thomas held leadership positions with AmeriChoice, a UnitedHealth Group company; HealthPlans of America, NJ Inc.; CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; and Total Health Care, Inc. He has also served as the board president for the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans in Chicago.
aWellCarea™s experience in serving some of our countrya™s most vulnerable populations and improving health care quality, access and cost on behalf of government customers has created a strong business,a said Mr. Thomas. aI am excited about continuing to grow our relationships and enhance the services to our members, government customers and providers.a
Mr. Anderson has more than 20 years of leadership experience with a particular focus on providing strategic human resources direction for health care companies. Most recently, he served as the senior vice president of Human Resources for ValueOptions, a managed care company that specializes in management of behavioral health services. He previously served as vice president of Human Resources at WellPoint, Inc. He also held leadership positions with E. & J. Gallo Winery and IBM.
aWellCarea™s associates are dedicated to excellent service on behalf of the companya™s members, providers and government customers,a said Mr. Anderson. aI look forward to working with my new colleagues as we build upon this strong foundation.a
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services exclusively for government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company served approximately 2.2 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2010. For more information about WellCare, please visit the companya™s website at [ www.wellcare.com ].
