Baltimore, April 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) has hired former Chief Financial Officer of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Northwest Region, Jenny Smith, to help guide the transformation of the company as the organization’s new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Smith joined the company Apr. 6 following a nationwide search for a new Chief Financial Officer for the first time in nearly 30 years. After an extensive year-long search with over a dozen prospects to assume the vacant role, Smith was ultimately determined the best fit for CareFirst. As CareFirst’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Smith will head the company’s finance division, which is comprised of financial, accounting, actuarial, underwriting, risk management and treasury operations.
Prior to joining CareFirst, Smith spent 20 years at Kaiser Permanente. In her latest role as CFO for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan for the Northwest United States, Smith was responsible for the overall financial health and viability of Kaiser’s healthcare interests in Oregon and Southwest Washington. In this role, Smith also served as a key contributor to the financial leadership team of the national Kaiser enterprise.
Smith is no stranger to the area having served 12 years as a Finance and Strategy leader for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States. During that time, she took on roles that spanned finance, strategy, business development and market expansion, and clinical service delivery operations management.
“During a time of change, both at CareFirst and throughout the healthcare industry, I am confident that Jenny has the vision, experience, skills and values to ensure our company’s financial position as we continue to fulfill our not-for-profit mission,” said, CareFirst President and CEO Brian D. Pieninck. “Jenny brings a strong financial background, but also embodies a multi-dimensional approach to issues – an attribute that is essential, now more than ever, as the company works to navigate through the evolving healthcare landscape with empathy and flexibility.”
Smith earned her Baccalaureate of Law degree from China Eastern University of Politics and Law and acquired her MBA from Loyola College in Baltimore.
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 83rd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.3 million individuals and employers in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2018, CareFirst invested $43 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at http://www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
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