MILWAUKEE, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Following last week's appointment of
Don Hamm to President and CEO effective September 1, 2002 and January 1, 2003
respectively, Fortis Health announced today additional changes to its
executive leadership.
Newly Created Chief Marketing Officer Position
Steve DeRaleau, formerly Senior Vice President of Individual Medical
Product Management, has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), at the
110-year-old health insurance company. As CMO, DeRaleau will oversee product
operations and development, sales, marketing, distribution, product research
and health network management.
"This new position has been created to more closely synchronize sales and
marketing with our product operations, reflecting our highest priorities both
strategically and operationally," said Hamm. "Steve's extensive health
insurance experience will help to ensure that Fortis Health remains a leader
in the industry."
DeRaleau has been with Fortis Health since 1997 and has nearly 30 years of
experience in insurance marketing, planning and sales. Before his career with
Fortis Health, DeRaleau held a variety of executive and management positions
in the insurance industry. He earned a B.A. from Colgate University and holds
several insurance designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU),
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Fellow, Life Management Institute
(FLMI).
New Chief Financial Officer
Fortis Health also appointed Howard Miller, CPA, as Chief Financial
Officer. He replaces Hamm who was recently promoted to President and CEO.
Miller has over 20 years of insurance industry experience, focused in the
areas of finance and operations. Previously he was Vice President of
Financial Operations at Fortis Health.
"Howard's considerable experience and proven achievements will enable our
company to continue to deliver solid financial performance and operational
excellence, while creating and retaining value in the marketplace," said Hamm.
Prior to joining Fortis Health, Miller served in several financial
executive positions. He holds a B.B.A. in accounting from the University of
Eau Claire and an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Additional Changes
In addition to her current role as Chief Administrative Officer where she
oversees underwriting, claims and customer management, Kim Pollard will assume
additional responsibilities for Health Services, including Health and Medical
Management. Pollard joined Fortis Health in 1999 and has over 23 years
experience in the insurance industry. She earned a B.S. in economics from the
University of Nebraska.
Clark Merkley, who previously held the position of Senior Vice President
of Health Services, has been appointed to Senior Vice President of Planning
and Development. As part of his responsibilities, Merkley will be
coordinating merger and acquisition activities, as well as corporate planning
and business partnership development. Merkley has served in several executive
positions since joining Fortis Health in 1994. Prior to Fortis Health,
Merkley was in private practice, specializing in corporate health care law and
representing a broad range of managed care organizations, hospitals,
integrated delivery systems and physicians. He earned his J.D. and M.B.A.
from the University of Chicago and holds a B.S. in zoology from Brigham Young
University.
Raj Bal has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Specialty Products.
He previously held the position of Vice President of Specialty Products. In
his new post, Bal will continue his responsibilities for the marketing, sales
and development of Short Term Medical Insurance, Student Select, defined
contribution and non-traditional products such as discount cards. Fortis
Health is the nation's leading provider of Short Term Medical Insurance. Bal
joined Fortis Health in 1999 and has over 25 years of marketing and consumer
product development experience. He earned his B.A. in economics from Loyola
College, India, and an M.B.A. with a marketing emphasis from the University of
Manitoba, Canada.
"We are fortunate at Fortis Health to have a strong pool of executives,"
said Hamm. "Each individual brings exceptional leadership skills and
tremendous talent to his or her new position. I congratulate each of them on
their professional accomplishments."
About Fortis Health:
Fortis Health is committed to helping Americans meet their health
insurance needs. In business since 1892, the company is a leader in the
Individual Medical, Small Group, Short-Term and Student Health insurance
markets. Fortis Health provides coverage for more than one million people
nationwide. Its products are underwritten and issued by Fortis Insurance
Company, John Alden Life Insurance Company and Fortis Benefits Insurance
Company. Fortis Health is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has
operations in Minnesota, Florida, Idaho and Ohio.
Fortis Health is part of Fortis, Inc., a financial services company that,
through its operating companies and affiliates, has built leadership positions
in a number of specialty insurance market segments. Fortis, Inc. is part of
Fortis, a financial services provider active in the fields of insurance,
banking and investment. As of year-end, 2001, Fortis had total assets in
excess of $400 billion. Fortis ranks 31st based on assets and 85th based on
revenues on the Fortune "Global 500" (July 22, 2002) and 38th on the Forbes
Global "Super 50" list (July 3, 2002).
Fortis Health can be found on the Internet at
http://www.fortishealth.com .
SOURCE Fortis Health
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Related links:
http://www.fortishealth.com
CONTACT:
Michelle Love-Johnson of Seroka Public
Relations, +1-262-523-3740, or michelle@seroka.com , for Fortis
Health
NOTE TO EDITORS: Interviews and photos available upon request.
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