Eric Schultz has ended his 10-year tenure as president and CEO of Fallon Community Health Plan to accept the same position at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
Worcester-based Fallon Community Health Plan announced that its Board of Directors accepted Schultz’s resignation Thursday.
“I’m a very fortunate man because I get to leave one great organization and go to another,” he said Thursday afternoon. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity and I look forward to the new challenges.”
Schultz said he’s proud of his work at FCHP, which he said is an organization that “lives its mission.”
“I’m really most proud of the people that make up this organization and having had a chance to work with them,” he said.
During Schultz’s tenure FCHP recorded eight consecutive years of operating gains and membership grew by 35 percent.
Schultz also holds a variety of leadership roles including vice chairman of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans and he is the former chairman of the Association of Community Health Plans, a national organization.
Schultz will replace Charlie Baker at the Wellesley-based Harvard Pilgrim. Baker left the nonprofit health insurer’s top position in July to run for governor. Schultz will begin at Harvard Pilgrim on March 1.
“Eric Schultz is an outstanding choice for Harvard Pilgrim because he is a proven leader in health care with a track record of strategic and operational excellence. He not only has a deep understanding of healthcare dynamics in Massachusetts and nationally but also a history of innovation that will help Harvard Pilgrim achieve even greater success,” said Barry L. Shemin, chairman of the Harvard Pilgrim Board of Directors.
W. Patrick Hughes will take over as interim president and CEO at FCHP and the board will discuss a permanent succession plan at their March meeting. Hughes formerly served as a division president for health plan operations.
