Paul S. Boulis, M.H.A.
President (Retired), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Paul S. Boulis was President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, which serves more than seven million members. As the head of Illinois’ largest health insurance company, Paul was responsible for all operations including Marketing, Provider Relations, Network Contracting, Medical Policy, Care Management, Government Relations, and Public Affairs.
Mr. Boulis joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois in 1984 following eleven years with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Prior to being named President of the Illinois Plan, he served as a Vice President and Senior Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ National Division where he grew the company’s national and major accounts business to include more than 450 large employer, government and labor customers.
Mr. Boulis has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Michigan, Rush University, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and Colgate University.
He has served as a Board Director or advisor to Chicago Public Education Fund, Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago, Griffith Leadership Center at the University of Michigan, Harris Theatre, Arts & Business Council of Chicago (Chair for 4 years), Dental Network of America, Consortium Health Plans, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s Associates Board.
Mr. Boulis received his B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh and his Master’s of Hospital Administration, from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health and Hospital Administration. He also attended the CEO Perspective Fellowship program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Frank J. Feraco is Managing Partner for Great Lakes Equity Partners, a global company headquartered in Illinois based company, where he focuses on acquiring mid-market manufacturing and service related companies.
Mr. Feraco is a recognized expert in operational and marketing efficiencies, lean manufacturing, and global supply chain activity. He is the author of several papers on the subjects and has spoken over the years to major educational institutions on management and the economy. His experience includes over 20 years in executive management at Emerson Electric Company.
Following Emerson Electric, he led a turn-around team at Skil Power Tool Company. That effort that was described in a landmark book published Michael Frank, a renowned Harvard marketing professor.
Mr. Feraco served as the Sector Executive for the Kohler Company’s Global Plumbing business. His role there led to several acquisitions and divestitures in Europe and Asia, as well as establishing a beachhead for the firm in Asia to target and grow into China and the region.
As CEO of Textron’s Industrial Products Group, Mr. Feraco managed a $5.5B segment of that company’s very successful aviation and marine businesses.
Mr. Feraco has served as a Board Director of advisor for the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, University of Rhode Island’s Business School Advisory Group, Bunker Hill Capital Partners of Boston, and Waterside Capital of Chicago.
He has a B.S. degree in Physics and Geology from the University of Rhode Island.
Frank Feraco
Managing Partner, Great Lakes Equity Partners
Joe G. N. “Skip” Garcia, M.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago
As Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Dr. Garcia oversees a $331.5 million research enterprise encompassing all 15 of UIC’s colleges.
Dr. Garcia received his B.S. in Biology from the University of Dallas and his M.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his internship and residency training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and his fellowship training in the Division of Pulmonary Diseases at Albany Medical College. Following his medical training, Dr. Garcia held faculty appointments at the University of Texas Health Center, Indiana University’s School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Chicago.
At Johns Hopkins, Dr. Garcia was the David Marine Professor and Director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Director of the Center for Translational Respiratory Medicine. During his leadership, the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine rose to the top of U.S. academic pulmonary programs. Prior to joining UIC, Dr. Garcia was the Lowell T. Coggeshall Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago. During his tenure, the department was awarded nearly $80 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and rose from the 25th to the 12th in national rankings.
Dr. Garcia is internationally recognized for his expertise on the genetic basis of lung disease and the prevention and treatment of inflammatory lung injury. His research has led to new ways and patents to prevent vascular leak, reduce swelling, inhibit tissue damage, and restore the integrity of vessel walls. He has authored or co-authored nearly 350 publications and 30 book chapters. He serves on the editorial boards of six scientific journals, is co-editor in chief for the Journal of Microvascular Research, and associate editor of the Journal of Organ Dysfunction, Translational Research and the Journal of Stem Cell Research.
He is a past president of the Central Society for Clinical Research. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the American Thoracic Society’s Board, and a member or chairman of several NIH committees. Dr. Garcia is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the 2009 Diversity Award from the Association of Professors in Medicine, American Thoracic Society Distinguished Scientist Award, the Henry F. Christian Award for Meritorious Research from the American Federation of Medical Research, and the David M. Levine Excellence in Mentoring Award from the Johns Hopkins University.
John Johnson served as Vice President, Corporate Leadership and Development for AAR, a leading provider of products and services to the worldwide commercial aviation and government/defense industries.
In this capacity, Mr. Johnson was responsible for developing and implementing strategies to enhance employee growth, professional development and management effectiveness. In addition, Mr. Johnson maintained an advisory and oversight role with AAR Aircraft Sales & Leasing, for which he was previously Group VP and corporate officer.
Mr. Johnson joined AAR in 2004 with an extensive business background including over 25 years of sales, sales management and general experience. Prior to joining AAR, Mr. Johnson served as Founder and President of Lakeshore Staffing, a company he formed in 1995 and grew from $0 to $25 million in sales in just 3 years. Lakeshore Staffing was named Inc. 500 6th fastest growing company in the U.S. in 1998.
Prior to that he worked with the Travel Division of American Express where he held a variety of positions including Vice President and General Manager of its eastern region.
Mr. Johnson obtained his business degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia and attended college on a four-year golf scholarship. He also has three children: Jenny, Jeff, Luke and has been married for 31 years.
John Johnson
Strategic Advisor, People & Strategy, Engaged Health Solutions
Steven D. Romberg, M.B.A.
Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer, Beavers Holdings
Steven D. Romberg joined Beavers Holdings in 2010 as Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer. The company is a minority business enterprise that focuses on the quick service restaurant industry.
Prior to joining Beavers Holdings, Mr. Romberg had retired as President of the HAVI Group, LP, a privately held global provider of logistics, packaging, business intelligence, and promotional marketing services. Mr. Romberg joined HAVI in 1981 and held a number of management positions including Vice President – Strategy Development, Chief Business Development Officer, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He led the restructuring of the company into a more streamlined organization, and drove significant double-digit growth in sales revenue and profits.
Mr. Romberg’s other experience includes public accounting (Deloitte, Haskins and Sells) and as Chief Financial Officer for Pinnacle Brands, a producer of sports trading cards.
Mr. Romberg earned a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois, and is a Certified Public Accountant. In addition, he holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
As Executive Director for the Polsky Center, Ms. Rudnick leads a program that supports students, faculty and alumni of the University of Chicago in the development of new ventures. She is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating educational programs that enhance the skill sets and networks of these future entrepreneurs.
Prior to this appointment, Ms. Rudnick spent twenty-five years in business management and entrepreneurial activities, primarily in the healthcare industry. She co-founded and served as Chairman of Pacific Biometrics, a medical diagnostics company and was President of HCIA and CEO of its predecessor company, Healthcare Knowledge Resources, a healthcare information service company. While at Baxter, she held the positions Corporate Vice President of Baxter Healthcare, President and Founder of Baxter Management Services Division, and Director of Strategic Planning.
She currently serves on the boards of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Patterson Companies (PDCO), First Midwest Bank (FMBI), HMS Holdings (HMSY), and the Northshore University Research Institute. She previously served on the boards of Oxford Health Plans, NCCI, NephRx, and the Northshore University Health System.
Ms. Rudnick received a B.A. from Vassar College and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business.
Ellen A. Rudnick, M.B.A.
Executive Director and Clinical Professor, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Alan H. Spiro, M.D., M.B.A.
Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Accolade
Dr. Alan Spiro has been a leader in health care for more than the last twenty years. Throughout his career he has been on the cutting edge in the development of new programs and processes in managed care. He is currently a leader at Accolade, a new medical service organization that is dedicated to helping people through the medical care delivery and health care benefits systems.
Dr. Spiro was a practicing gastroenterologist before entering health care management. While in practice, Dr. Spiro founded a successful IPA, and was very active in hospital affairs.
Previously, Dr. Spiro served as Chief Medical Officer for Anthem’s National Accounts division. He directed medical management programs for over 11 million individuals covered by large national employers. Prior to Anthem, Dr. Spiro was a Principal and National Clinical Practice Leader for Towers Perrin’s Health and Welfare Practice. Dr. Spiro consulted for Blue Cross organizations, the Veteran’s Administration as well as hospitals, physician groups, and many Fortune 500 corporations, including Johnson and Johnson, General Electric, Verizon, Dell Computer, IBM and Bank of America.
Dr. Spiro obtained his undergraduate degree at New York University, his M.D. degree at Columbia University, and his Master’s in Business from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and then did a fellowship in gastroenterology and nutrition at Beth Israel Hospital and Deaconness Hospital in Boston, which included his appointment as a Harvard Research Fellow.
Alan has served in leadership positions with physician and industry groups such as the American Gastroenterological Association and the National Business Group on Health. He has been a featured speaker at meetings of the National Business Group on Health, the Conference Board, the Managed Care Congress, and other national organizations.
Tom De Weerdt brings financial, administration, marketing and project management expertise to EHS’ advisory board. He joined Whirlpool in 1994 as a Junior Brand Manager in his native country, Belgium. Mr. De Weerdt’s career with Whirlpool demonstrates his expertise as a finance business partner, general manager, innovator and leader. While based in Belgium, he held management roles in marketing, finance and administration. He then moved to France for two years to lead the finance and adminstration organizations for both commercial and manufacturing operations. He was promoted to the European Headquarters in Italy assuming responsibility for Finance for the European manufacturing operations, restructuring, capital expenditures and SAP implementation. Mr. De Weerdt spent four years in the US as a Vice President of Financial Development, CFO for Whirlpool International and CFO Global Product Organization before returning to Italy as Vice President of Finance and CFO for Europe Middle East and Africa.
Mr. De Weerdt’s accomplishments include the development of a global balanced scorecard and management review system, leading the global mergers and acquisitions team, developing and implementing a global transfer pricing policy and leading a global change management program that resulted in the implementation and execution of a multi-billion dollar cost reduction strategy.
Mr. De Weerdt is a graduate of St. Gabriel-College in Boechout. He holds a Master’s degree in Marketing from the Catholic University Leuven, a Master’s degree in Applied Information Technology from VLEKHO and a MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago’s Booth School.
Tom De Weerdt
Vice President Finance and CFO, Whirlpool Europe, Middle East and Africa
