Furst Group Recruits CEO for Point32Health
June 10, 2025 – Executive recruitment firm Furst Group, which serves the healthcare and insurance industries, has helped to recruit Patrick Gilligan as the new CEO of Point32Health, the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan in Canton, MA. “It was a privilege to partner with the board at Point32Health in their CEO search,” Furst Group said in a LinkedIn post. “Congratulations to Patrick Gilligan, whose deep knowledge and healthcare leadership excellence make him a pivotal asset to lead this organization’s new chapter. Pat held previous roles at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, along with strategic consulting experience, both of which position him perfectly to drive innovation and growth while reinforcing the organization’s commitment to the communities it serves.”
The appointment of Mr. Gilligan follows a thorough recruitment process overseen by a selection committee of the board, which vetted and interviewed a slate of candidates. Eileen Auen, executive chair of Point32Health’s board of directors, will work closely with Mr. Gilligan and the board to ensure an effective and smooth leadership transition.
“On behalf of the entire Point32Health organization, we are thrilled to welcome Pat as our new chief executive officer,” said Ms. Auen. “A New England native, Pat has deep knowledge and decades of experience in healthcare insurance and in the health care industry, as well as an accomplished track record of success. He is a proven leader and will help drive the changes needed to lead Point32Health through the unprecedented challenges the industry is facing. We are confident that Pat, supported by our senior leadership team, will take our organization forward to a successful future.”
Mr. Gilligan joins Point32Health from CWH Advisors, a management consulting firm that works exclusively with healthcare organizations, where he was a partner. Prior to Joining CWH Advisors, he served as chief commercial officer and executive vice president at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Additionally, Mr. Gilligan held leadership roles in two Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts subsidiaries. He served as president of Indigo Insurance Services, a full-service insurance agency offering a comprehensive suite of specialty insurance products, and as CEO of Zaffre Investments, an organization that invested in solutions to drive healthcare innovation and improve care delivery. Previously, Mr. Gilligan served as senior vice president of Health System Alliances at CVS Health.
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“I’m excited to join Point32Health as its CEO at such a pivotal time in the health care industry,” said Mr. Gilligan. “I look forward to working closely with Point32Health’s strong leadership team and incredible colleagues to execute on our purpose and strategic vision. As we enter this important next chapter for our organization, we will position Point32Health to perform at its full potential and to drive growth. Further, we will strengthen our unwavering commitment to empowering healthier lives for our members and communities.”
With a mission to guide and empower healthier lives for everyone, Point32Health serves more than 2 million members across New England and beyond, offering a broad range of commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and exchange health plans. As an integrated organization, Point32Health emphasizes innovation, equity, and community-driven solutions. It leverages decades of experience and clinical expertise to provide high-quality, affordable healthcare coverage, while also investing in population health, behavioral health, and health equity initiatives.
Healthcare Specialists
Furst Group, headquartered in Rockford, IL, partners with many of the premier healthcare organizations in the world, from providers and payers to life-science companies and private equity/venture capital firms. While Furst Group’s roots are in managed care, the firm continues to be one of the nation’s leading executive search partners to health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, post-acute, and hospice and palliative care facilities. Its work with insurers stretches back to the HMO era, yet the firm also teams with life science, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. Furst Group also has offices in Phoenix, AZ; Radnor, PA; San Francisco; Brentwood, TN; Chicago; Irving, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle; St. Louis; and Washington, D.C.
Bob Clarke, chairman of Furst Group, has been a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards for more than 30 years. His acumen in executive search and integrated talent management is valued by hospital systems, managed care organizations, medical groups, indemnity companies, end-of-life care providers, healthcare associations, and other medical delivery systems across the U.S. Mr. Clarke concentrates his work at the board and C-suite levels for providers and payers of every variety, creating recruitment processes and counseling boards and search committees. He also partners with boards of directors of healthcare organizations to manage C-suite transitions, develop succession plans, assess leadership teams, and implement leadership development programs.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
