Cory R. Harris President and Chief Executive Officer
As Wellmark's President and Chief Executive Officer Cory Harris leads the company's efforts to improve the health and wellness of our 2 million members and the Iowa and South Dakota communities they call home. Cory drives Wellmark's team-focused, inclusive and collaborative culture, and the successful performance of all areas of the company. Cory provides the leadership and vision for Wellmark's long-term success, including the development and execution of Wellmark's corporate business strategies and efforts driving toward transformational, personalized, high-quality, and cost-efficient care for our members.
Having spent much of his career shaping policy and improving operational efficiencies in health care, Cory brings a unique perspective to understanding the complexities and seizing opportunities within Wellmark's highly regulated environment. His unwavering focus on the foundation of the company — doing what is in the best interest of Wellmark's members — is the cornerstone of his leadership and efforts to support Wellmark's vision of creating a sustainable health care market.
Cory also leads several of Wellmark's affiliated entities, including as chairman, chief executive officer and president of Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. and chief executive officer of Wellmark of South Dakota, Inc.
Cory joined Wellmark in 2011 as executive vice president and general counsel, and held a variety of roles within the organization until being named president and CEO in 2021. As CEO, Cory serves on the board of directors of the national Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. And he also serves on the Association's board of managers for the Federal Employee Program.
Outside his work at Wellmark and serving its members, Cory is a member of the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) board of directors, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to transforming health care through evidence and collaboration. He serves on the executive committee and board of directors of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, an economic and community development organization formed of the metro's business, civic and community leaders and industry experts. And he is also a member of the Iowa Business Council, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to identify opportunities to strengthen the state's workforce and overall economic vitality.
