SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regence BlueShield has announced Michael Cole as its new market president. Cole, currently the market president of Regence’s health plan in Oregon, will add Washington to his portfolio while retaining his duties in the neighboring state.
In addition to the Oregon market, Cole will oversee strategy and growth for Regence BlueShield, which serves more than 1.6 million people in Washington. He takes over for Claire Verity, who is retiring this month after a three-decade career in the health care industry, including four years as president of Regence BlueShield.
In his expanded role, Cole will provide continuity by drawing on his experience working with producers, providers and community partners in the Northwest. Many Regence business partners, including providers, brokers and employers, work across both Washington and Oregon.
Cole also brings a wealth of experience leading regional markets. Before joining Regence in 2023, he served as president of Aetna’s North Atlantic territory, where he oversaw 11 states and 6 million members.
“Michael has expertise working closely with our valued partners in the Northwest and in leading teams across states,” said Lindsay Harris, senior vice president and chief commercial officer for Regence health plans. “I expect both our Washington and Oregon teams to thrive under his collaborative and results-driven leadership.”
“I want to also congratulate Claire Verity on her much-deserved retirement after a long and storied career putting people and customers first, including her outstanding stewardship of Regence BlueShield,” Harris said.
Cole brings more than 20 years of executive health care leadership experience across a wide spectrum of the industry, including payer, payment integrity and health care diagnostics. In addition to his strong business leadership, Cole also has a record of significant community work, serving as a longtime board member at Erie Family Health Centers, a federally qualified health center providing safety-net care for the underserved, and on the board of Trillium Family Services, a behavioral health provider in Oregon.
Cole earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration in finance and marketing from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
“I can’t wait to continue the legacy that started when Regence BlueShield was founded in Tacoma 108 years ago,” Cole said. “We remain highly committed to our local communities, to connecting our members to affordable, high-quality care, and to delivering exceptional service, partnership and value to our business partners in Washington.”
About Regence BlueShield
Regence BlueShield has been providing health care solutions to Washingtonians in select counties for more than a century. As a taxpaying nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com, facebook.com/regenceblueshieldwa or twitter.com/regencewa.
