How to become a Board member
Opportunities are available for members to participate on the Blue Care Network and Blue Care of Michigan, Inc.* boards of directors. The BCN and BCMI boards develop policy, ensure each company's financial well-being and oversee management's execution of policy and adherence to law.
The BCN board has 18 directors. Six of the directors are elected by BCN subscribers to represent each of our service areas — Southeast, East, West and Mid-Michigan. To best represent our distribution of members, three directors are elected from Southeast Michigan and one director is elected from each of the other service areas.
The BCMI board has three directors. One of the directors is elected by BCMI subscribers — individuals who have health care coverage in the Personal Plus plan.
* Blue Care of Michigan, Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit, tax exempt organization in July 1983. BCMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and licensed by the State of Michigan. BCMI provides comprehensive health care programs to enrolled members on a direct basis in partnership with Blue Care Network of Michigan.
Eligibility for a board seat
To be considered for a board position a member must be:
- A BCN or BCMI Personal Plus member in good standing
- A Michigan resident
- At least 21 years old
- Able to attend board and committee meetings
- A BCBSM or BCMI member applying to be on the BCN board (BCBSM and BCMI have separate boards)
- A BCBSM or BCN member applying to be on the BCMI board (BCBSM and BCN have separate boards)
You are not eligible if you are:
- A BCN or Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employee; an employee of the BCBSM subsidiaries Accident Fund Insurance Company of America or LifeSecure; or a relative of an employee of these organizations
- Responsible for or have a financial interest in Blue Care Network's or Blue Care of Michigan, Inc.'s business
- A BCBSM member applying to the BCN board (BCBSM has a separate board.)
- A BCN member applying to the BCMI board (BCN has a separate board.)
Term of office
All of our directors, including our subscriber-elected directors, serve three-year terms. The current term of office for our subscriber-elected directors is January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2011. The next member election will occur in fall 2011.
Board meeting dates and times
Both boards meet approximately six times a year during normal business hours. Meetings are usually conducted at one of the BCN or BCBSM facilities in New Hudson, Detroit or Southfield. BCN meetings generally begin at noon and end at 3 p.m. BCMI meetings generally begin at 9 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. In addition, BCN board members belong to various committees that meet six to eight times a year, also during normal business hours.
Is there compensation for serving or travel-related expenses?
Board members are compensated for each board and committee meeting they attend. Board members must provide their own transportation and are reimbursed for any travel or meeting-related expenses.
Members of the BCN board also receive an annual retainer.
Representatives elected in 2007
Members elected six representatives to the BCN board in 2007: James R. Dietz, Janet Harden, R.N., Ph.D., and Diana Watson represent the southeast region. Valeriah Ann Holmon, RN, represents members from the east region. D. Bonta Hiscoe, MD, represents the mid region, and Karen Knapp, New Era, represents the west region. Here's a profile of these representatives:
- James Dietz, a supervisory special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Detroit, has been chief division counsel since 1997. He has a law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law and a B.A. in criminal justice from Michigan State University and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Federal Bar Association. Dietz served on the M-CARE board of directors and became a member of BCN's board in 2007 when BCN acquired M-CARE.
- Janet Harden, a registered nurse for more than 30 years, is on the nursing faculty at Wayne State University and works in the critical care unit of Botsford Hospital. She is also an intervention nurse working with families who are managing cancer illness. Janet has a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Michigan as well as a dual master's degree in nursing and business administration from Madonna University. In addition to serving on BCN's board, she has served on the board of the Wayne State University Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (a nursing society) as well as on the board of Kern Hospital in Warren. She has been a member of BCN's board since 2005.
- Diana Watson, who owns Premier Healthcare Recruiters Inc., a search firm that specializes in physician recruiting, has 30 years of experience in the health care field. She is currently pursuing a degree in health policy studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and is a certified personnel consultant. A member of the Medical Group Management Association and the National Association of Physician Recruiters, she has served on committees for both organizations. A long-standing BCN board member, she chaired the Health Care Quality and Service Improvement Committee and has served on both the Finance and Audit committees. She has been a member of BCN's board since 1998.
- Valeriah Ann Holmon, RN, a surgical nurse at the Reicker Ambulatory Surgery Center in Midland, has a B.S. in nursing from Alcorn State University and is working on dual master's degrees at Saginaw Valley State University, one in nursing education and the other that would qualify her as a nurse practitioner. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Association of Operating Room Nurses. She has been a member of BCN's board of directors since 2002, serving on the Health Care Quality and Service Improvement Committee.
- D. Bonta Hiscoe, MD, who lives in East Lansing, has been a practitioner of general and thoracic surgery for more than 26 years. He is deputy medical examiner and deputy medical director of the Ingham County Health Department. Before retiring from private practice, he was medical director of Community Choice Michigan (a Medicaid HMO) and Health Central (a BCBSM HMO), chief of surgery at both St. Lawrence Hospital and Sparrow Hospital, as well as associate dean for clinical services at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine. Dr. Hiscoe co-chairs several United Way committees and volunteers for the Exchange Club (a service organization). He has been a member of BCN's board since 2002.
- Karen Knapp, New Era, is a professional certified registered nurse first assistant. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing, is an operating room supervisor and also assists surgeons in the operating room at Mercy General Health Partners. Active with the Michigan Council of Operating Room Nurses and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, she has served both organizations in leadership positions. She is the AORN state legislative coordinator and a member of the American Nurses Association. She has been a member of BCN's board since 2005.
Members elected the following representative to the Blue Care of Michigan, Inc. board of directors in 2007.
- Mark Jastrzembski holds a bachelor's and master's degree in education. He was a teacher in the Muskegon Public Schools as well as a security guard at the Michigan Department of Corrections. He also served in the U.S. Army. He is board secretary for the Muskegon Sports Council, president of the West Michigan Speedskating Club and president of the West Michigan Youth Wintersportsfest. For his volunteer efforts to promote youth sports (such as founding the annual Michigan Winter Triathlon competition and a Michigan mini-Winter Olympics), he received a Distinguished Community Service Award in 2007 and was elected to the Muskegon Sports Hall of Fame.
page modified 08/07/2009