America's Benefit Specialist March 2023

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Polito served as the 72nd Lt. Governor of the Common wealth of Massachusetts from January 2015 to January 2023 with Governor Charlie Baker. During her eight years of service, the Baker-Polito Administration advanced key healthcare programs, introducing comprehensive healthcare legislation to strengthen the Commonwealth’s healthcare system by increasing access to care and controlling costs for families.

in multiple industries, ranging from small businesses to large publicly traded corporations and government organizations of all sizes. He studied at the University of Utah. Benefits consultant Nick Long has joined Alliant Insurance Services as senior vice president within its Employee Benefits Group. Based in Texas, Long will leverage his diverse experi ence with public entity clients to provide employee benefits solutions that optimize productivity and reduce healthcare spending. For more than 15 years, Long has helped busi nesses and municipalities efficiently manage their employ ee benefits by designing, implementing and managing programs that meet today’s challenges. Long is also active in his local community and serves as Mayor of League City, and serves on the University of Texas Chancellor’s Committee. Prior to joining Alliant, Long was an area vice president for a global insurance brokerage and consulting firm. He earned his bachelor’s degree and MBA from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. Seamus Breen has joined Alliant Insurance Services as vice president, global consultant–lead within its Employee Bene fits Group. Based in Fairfield, Connecticut, Breen has an ex tensive background working with a diverse range of national and international organizations and will design and imple ment strategic employee benefits solutions that enhance business outcomes and increase productivity. Prior to joining Alliant, Breen was vice president, international benefits with a global insurance and employee benefits consulting firm. He is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries. Firefly Health—a health plan and virtual-first care innovator— recently announced that Karyn Polito, former lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, is the newest member of the Firefly Advisory Council. She joins individuals such as Brian Marcotte, the former president and CEO of the Business Group on Health. The Advisory Council is a group of professionals with a wide variety of knowledge from the worlds of healthcare benefits, brokers/consultants, employers, government, business, and those we serve – all brought together to provide outside guid ance to the benefit of Firefly, its users, product and growth strategy. Polito’s experience managing public health, includ ing leading the Commonwealth through the pandemic and her extensive network throughout the state of Massachusetts, bring essential expertise as Firefly expands its benefit offer ings and partnerships throughout the Commonwealth. “Karyn Polito has spent over two decades serving the state of Massachusetts, giving voices to underrepresented people and places, focusing on delivering access and opportunity across the state. We are honored to welcome her to the Fire fly Advisory Council,” said Firefly Health CEO Fay Rotenberg.

Gary Balzofiore, president of Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York recently announced his retirement, effective February 28. Scott Boutin , senior vice president and chief claims officer for Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company and Matrix Absence Management, has been named his successor.

Boutin joined Reliance in 2017 as senior vice president of claims. In 2019 he was promoted to chief claims officer of the Reliance Matrix enterprise, overseeing an organization of approximately 1,200 individuals nationwide. Prior to joining Reliance Scott spent 14 years with MetLife, ultimately serving as vice president of global claims operations. Blackwell Captive Solutions, a medical stop-loss captive domiciled in South Carolina and sponsored by Carrick Capital Partners, has named Tina Willenborg its new national vice president, sales. Willenborg comes to Blackwell with more than 26 years of industry and medical stop-loss experience. She has been a leader in her past roles, serving as assistant vice president stop loss at Xchange Benefits LLC, assistant vice president at Employer Benefit Underwriters Inc. and assistant vice presi dent, business development at Arch Insurance Group.

AmeriHealth Caritas, a provider of Medicaid managed care and other healthcare solutions for those most in need, has appointed Marla Purvis as its Georgia market president. An accomplished health care executive with more than 20 years of experience, Purvis will provide the strategic vision and operational expertise to lead

AmeriHealth Caritas’ efforts to enter the state. Purvis will be responsible for analyzing the challenges faced by the state’s providers, associations and community leaders, as well as developing integrated healthcare strate gies that would aim to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable Georgians.

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