UnitedHealthcare Executive Bolsters Zimmer’s Board

Changes in board membership at the large orthopedic companies are usually not big news.

But Zimmer Holdings, Inc.’s recent appointment of Gail Boudreaux to the board caught our attention.

Boudreaux is the executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and CEO of UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealth Group covers more than 75 million people worldwide, large chunks that presumably are covered for orthopedic services.

She’s also one of America’s most influential business executives, being named the 54th most powerful woman in 2009 by Forbes.

Boudreaux is powerful in more ways than one. She was a standout 6’2″ center for Dartmouth Big Green Women’s basketball team from 1978 through 1982. She also set the Massachusetts girls’ state shot-put record with a throw of 44 feet, six inches.

Landing such a big fish from the health insurance industry to their board, assures that the Zimmer board is fully informed and aware of the increasing role payers will play under the nation’s new health care system.

Boudreaux assumed overall responsibility for all UnitedHealthcare health benefits businesses in 2011. She joined UnitedHealth Group in May 2008 as executive vice president and as president of UnitedHealthcare. Before joining UnitedHealthcare, she was executive vice president of Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC) and prior to that served as president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a division of HCSC. Before joining HCSC she held senior management positions at Aetna, Inc.

Boudreaux earned a master’s degree in business administration at Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Dartmouth College. Active Dartmouth college alum, she currently serves on the college’s Board of Trustees.

“For the past 30 years, Gail Boudreaux has pursued an extraordinary career leading the design and delivery of health benefit programs at the regional and national level. Her unique perspective leading one of the world’s largest health benefits providers will prove invaluable to Zimmer, ” said John McGoldrick, chairman of Zimmer’s board of directors.  “We are extremely pleased that Gail has agreed to join the board and we look forward greatly to her participation in shaping the company’s long-term strategic vision.”