Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Names New CEO

Dana Erickson, a senior vice president at Blue Cross and Blue Shield Minnesota, has been promoted to president and CEO of the Minnesota Blues plan.

Erickson is taking over on Nov. 1 from interim CEO Kathleen Blatz who stepped into the top job at the insurer in April 2021 after Craig Samitt, M.D., unexpectedly resigned.

Erickson, a registered nurse and registered respiratory therapist, has been a member of the Blues plan’s senior leadership team since 2019 when she was appointed senior vice president and president of the health services division. In that job, Erickson has been responsible for overall strategic planning, development, implementation and administration of racial and health equity efforts, care management, provider relations, and pharmacy and medical management.

She started at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota in 2015 as senior director of care management. Prior to the Blues plan, she held leadership positions at Univita Health and Optum Health.

"Dana is an accomplished and impressive leader who knows the healthcare industry very well, both within Minnesota and across the nation," said Michael Robinson, chair of the Board of Trustees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, in a prepared statement.