Business Health Care Group, an employer organization made up of southeastern Wisconsin’s largest companies, has named a new executive director.
Jeffrey Kluever, the former senior director of risk and benefits management at Journal Media Group, Inc., assumed the rule on Aug. 1.
“I believe in the power of the BHCG employer voice to make a difference in health care and the health of the community,” Kluever said in a statement released Thursday. “It is rare to get the opportunity to work full-time on a long-held passion. It has been truly rewarding to have been involved in working on securing real improvements in the value of health care in our market as a member employer representative with the BHCG. It will be the ultimate fulfillment to devote all my efforts and time to my role as its new executive director.”
Kluever has been involved with the BHCG since it was formed in 2003 and sits on the Greater Milwaukee Business Foundation on Health’s board of directors. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin — Green Bay and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin — Stout.
“We are all very pleased Jeff has agreed to lead us in continuing to make meaningful changes in our health care market as our new executive director,” said Dennis Salentine, a member of BHCG’s executive steering committee and a human resources executive for BMO Financial Group. “He has played an important role in our group’s development and its success as a BHCG Executive Steering Committee member. He also served us well in his previous roles as chair of our Provider Subcommittee and as a member of our Benefits Subcommittee.”
Kluever’s hire comes just 16 months after Geoffrey Schick was named executive director to replace long-time BHCG leader Dianne Kiehl. Schick has now left the BHCG.
Before leading BHCG, Schick was the associate director of research and network operations for the Catholic Health Initiative’s Institute for Research and Innovation in Houston. He also worked for Vanguard Health Systems in Detroit, Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Kluever said Schick left to “pursue other opportunities.”
Kiehl led BHCG from its inception until her retirement in 2015.
