Everyone loves a comeback story, and there is arguably no bigger one than what leadership insists is happening at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The not-for-profit health insurer, ranked among the state’s largest companies, has faced myriad challenges both internally and externally, from flagging revenue and job loss to rowing against negative tides in the marketplace.
Curtis Barnett, president and CEO, does not shy away from discussing the company’s struggles over the past few years, a strategy he has taken with leadership and frontline employees alike as the company works to regain momentum. His candor about things CEOs generally do not like to talk about is striking and intentional; one cannot change a circumstance one does not understand, and to that end, he is forthright to the point of blunt when laying out what lies ahead, the good and the bad, be it to his workforce or to the press.
“We’re over 75 years old. I’ve been with the company 32 years now,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot in those 32 years, and I’ve never seen an environment like the one that we’re working in right now…