CareFirst Announces New Senior Management Hires

Baltimore, MD (August 08, 2016) - CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) recently added two vice presidents reporting to the executive vice president of the company’s Large Group and CareFirst Administrators business areas, Brian Pieninck.

Jim Leleszi joined CareFirst as Vice President of Large Group Strategic Business Unit, Sales and Client Management. Leleszi adds more than 18 years of diverse health care experience, most recently serving as Vice President of Business Development for HealthMine Inc., where he was responsible for value consulting and sale of proprietary health improvement and clinical engagement technology platform to payers, large employers and health systems.

Prior to joining HealthMine, Leleszi was Director of Sales and Marketing with Johns Hopkins Medicine. He holds a master’s degree in Health Administration from the Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor of arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University. Leleszi is replacing Michael Casarella, who is retiring after 40 years of service with CareFirst.

Also joining CareFirst is Michael “Toby” Dobbs, who will serve in the new position of Senior Vice President of CareFirst Administrators, the company’s third-party administrator division. Dobbs joins CareFirst after most recently serving as Regional Head of Sales at Paychex Insurance Agency. In that role, Dobbs was responsible for leading business development and growth for the mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions in the U.S.

Prior to his tenure at Paychex Insurance Agency, Dobbs was Head of Sales for the North America Region of Aetna International (AI), the international health and group insurance business of Aetna. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a bachelor of arts degree in Economics.

“I look forward to the expertise and strategic capabilities both Jim and Toby will bring to our company, as well as to our leadership team,” said Pieninck, CareFirst’s Executive Vice President of the Large Group Strategic Business Unit. “Jim and Toby each have a proven record of success, and I am confident they will make meaningful contributions to our company.”

About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

In its 78th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2015, CareFirst contributed nearly $40 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 www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram or Google+.