Curtis Barnett takes roles of president and chief executive at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (December 28, 2017) – Curtis Barnett will officially assume the role of president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield on January 1, 2017.

Arkansas Blue Cross and its family of affiliated companies are the largest health insurer in Arkansas and have more than 2,700 employees. Mark White, the current president and chief executive officer, retires at the end of 2016 with more than 36 years of service to the company.

“In the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work side by side with Curtis as he transitioned into the roles of president and chief executive officer, and we’ve gotten to know each other even more, professionally and personally,” said White. “I am pleased to retire from Arkansas Blue Cross knowing we have an excellent leader in Curtis, and I look forward to seeing the innovative ways the company will continue to transform healthcare to benefit all Arkansans.”

Barnett, 54, served as senior vice president of Internal Operations from 2014 to December 2015, when he was selected by the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Board of Directors to become the president and chief executive officer-elect for the company. He joined the company in 1993 and has served in a variety of capacities during his tenure, including Primary Care Network plan manager and director of the Enterprise Managed Pharmacy Program. He has served as president and chief executive officer of USAble Corporation, and vice president of Operations for BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas. Prior to joining Arkansas Blue Cross, he served as director of benefits and risk management for the University of Arkansas System.

Barnett graduated from Sylvan Hills High School in 1981. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of Central Arkansas in1986 and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1990. He also is a graduate of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management’s Advanced Executive Program. He has earned several professional designations, including Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and Professional in the Academy of Healthcare Management (PAHM).

He and his wife, Karen, live in Sherwood and have one son, Collin, who is a sophomore at Harding University in Searcy.