BILLINGS, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--James Vertino, an experienced leader who has spearheaded transformational growth at healthcare companies throughout his career, has been named chief executive officer of Employee Benefit Management Services (EBMS).
Since joining EBMS as chief information officer in 2017, Vertino has been instrumental in contributing to the company’s strategic vision and growth. He has designed and guided the transformation of the company’s technology, enabling EBMS to better serve members, employers and brokers with a highly differentiated approach while expanding across the U.S. He also has helped to recruit visionary professionals with strong track records of leadership in the healthcare industry.
“I am honored to be taking on the role of CEO. I feel well prepared to take us forward into the kind of growth we’re anticipating,” Vertino said. “Our goal is to become a fully integrated healthcare management company with a national presence, expanding on the legacy programs that made us a respected leader in the third-party administration industry.”
Kevin Larson, who served as president of EBMS since 2010, will continue to contribute his knowledge and guidance as he assumes the role of vice chairman and joins the board of directors.
“I’m excited about the future of EBMS. Jim has proven himself as an extraordinary leader in the healthcare management industry, and he will do great things as the company continues to grow and evolve,” Larson said. “Now is a good time for me to move to a strategic advisory role and transition the reins to the strong leadership team we have assembled.”
Vertino has nearly 25 years of leadership experience, with particular expertise in developing technology architectures to improve products and services. In executive positions at MetLife, Lehman Brothers, CoreSource and HealthPlan Services, his work has had positive impacts on the well-being of millions of customers and employees.
Vertino will lead the EBMS executive team that includes five recent additions:
- Dr. Andrew Murray, chief medical officer. He serves as president of both miCare and miRx health-management solutions. Most recently, he was at CareAllies, a Cigna-owned health-management company.
- Alex Schott, chief financial officer. His extensive experience at healthcare organizations includes roles as senior vice president of Strategic Operations at BioScrip, Inc., and CFO at Home Solutions before BioScrip acquired it in 2016.
- Ronald Walters Jr., chief operating officer. He was formerly president of Harrington Health, a full-service TPA. He also spent 13 years at Nationwide Health.
- Rob Carr, vice president of technology and client implementation – with over 30 years of client support, including serving as a senior vice president at HealthPlan Services.
- Matt Johnson, corporate counsel, leading in all legal, privacy and compliance.
- Justin Moser, the newly appointed president of ebmsRe, the company’s stop-loss program. Moser has been with EBMS for more than 10 years with the last three as the director of ebmsRe.
They join two experienced EBMS leaders on the executive team:
- Rod Kastelitz, executive vice president of sales and account management. He has been with EBMS for 26 years and has been key to the company’s success.
- Melissa Lyon, executive vice president of human resources and strategic planning. Since joining the company in 2011, she has guided initiatives regarding employee engagement talent acquisition and team development.
ABOUT EBMS
EBMS, an integrated healthcare management company, was founded in Billings, Mont., in 1980. It now serves more than 275 organizations and nearly 150,000 employees and family members across the U.S.
In 2017, the company partnered with Water Street Healthcare Partners to expand its services to U.S. employers. Water Street, a strategic investor focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, shares EBMS’ goal of improving the quality, cost and experience of healthcare for its customers. Its team of industry executives and investment professionals has worked with some of the world’s leading healthcare companies.
EBMS offers a broad range of services to help employers manage their healthcare, including benefit administration, on-site/near-site health centers, clinical and specialty pharmacy programs, employer direct network management, captive insurance risk services, and flex, HRA and HSA administration.
