Executive Officers
David T. Blair
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
David Blair is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSI), (formerly HealthExtras, Inc.). Mr. Blair joined the Company in 1997 as Chief Financial Officer and subsequently spearheaded a successful national marketing research campaign to develop the Company’s supplemental benefits programs, resulting in record growth. In 1999, Mr. Blair was named the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company’s Board of Directors; most recently he was appointed as Chairman of the Board.
In 2001, Mr. Blair launched a major initiative to complement the Company’s supplemental benefits and expanded into the pharmacy benefit management industry through selective acquisitions and strategic investments. Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. has experienced a rate of growth substantially greater than its competitors and positioned itself as a market leader in providing superior quality of care and unbiased pharmacy benefit management solutions. The company maintains a strong focus on innovation, efficiency, and superior service and has a long-standing commitment to transparency and flexible pricing options.
With a commitment to innovation and a unique knowledge of the healthcare industry, Mr. Blair has steered Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. from a small regional player to a nationally recognized healthcare company. In recent years, Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. has been awarded the top customer satisfaction ratings for “Overall Service and Performance” in the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Customer Satisfaction Report as well as received notable industry recognitions, including multiple PBMI Rx Benefit Innovation Awards and the 2011 URAC Platinum Award for Best Practices in Healthcare Consumer Empowerment and Protection. The Company also maintains a consistent presence on the “fastest growing” lists in Fortune Magazine, the Washington Post and Forbes Magazine.
Prior to joining Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc., Mr. Blair served in a financial role for United Payors and United Providers, where he contributed to the Company’s initial public offering and several strategic acquisitions. Currently, he serves as a Board Member for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and The Imagination Stage. Mr. Blair is also a frequent participant in panel discussions and on advisory boards and steering committees where he lends his entrepreneurial skills and expertise in healthcare to advance various initiatives.
Richard A. Bates
President and Chief Operating Officer
Richard A. Bates, President and Chief Operating Officer of Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc., was appointed in June 2010. Mr. Bates manages Catalyst’s overall operations to drive client retention, lead business development efforts, and deliver innovative products and services. He is responsible for Catalyst’s growth agenda, drives our organic growth efforts, and leads the mergers and acquisitions activities.
In August 2009, Mr. Bates joined Catalyst Health Solutions as Executive Vice President. Mr. Bates managed and directed key business teams, including Sales, Strategic Initiatives, Client Services, Marketing, Clinical Program Management, Corporate Clinical Pharmacy Services, Pharmacy Benefits, Pharmacy Administration and Financial Business Operations.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Mr. Bates ran the specialty business division at Coventry Healthcare where he was responsible for the behavioral health, dental, network rental and pharmacy businesses, along with business development for ancillary products and services. Mr. Bates was also a senior executive at United Health Group, Cigna Corporation and Oxford Health Plans.
Graduating with a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Mr. Bates earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School.
Timothy R. Pearson
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
Timothy R. Pearson, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President was appointed in August 2011. Mr. Pearson leads all of the company’s financial activities, including financial and performance management, capital strategy and planning, investor relations, as well as corporate development.
Prior to joining Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc., Mr. Pearson served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of MedImmune, the global biologics business for AstraZeneca PLC, where he had functional responsibility for finance, information technology, strategic planning and governance, and was a member of MedImmune’s Executive Team. Mr. Pearson joined MedImmune in 1998 and prior to his promotion to CFO in 2007, was Vice President of Finance and Treasurer with responsibility for treasury, corporate finance, tax, risk management, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, internal audit and equity plan administration. During his tenure at MedImmune, Mr. Pearson raised over $1.6 billion in debt and was a key leader in M&A transactions and related post acquisition integration, including the $500 million acquisition of U.S. Bioscience and the $1.6 billion acquisition of Aviron. Mr. Pearson was a founding officer and investment committee member of MedImmune Ventures and Chairman of MedImmune’s Business Excellence Team.
Mr. Pearson, a Certified Public Accountant, holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration from the University of Delaware and Accounting from the University of Maryland, as well as a Master of Science degree in Finance from Loyola University.
Bruce F. Metge
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Bruce Metge was recruited to join Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in 2008. In this role, Mr. Metge leads the company’s nationwide legal, compliance, regulatory and corporate governance functions. As a member of Catalyst Health Solutions’ senior leadership team, Mr. Metge is also actively involved in the company’s strategic planning and growth and serves as an advisor to senior management and the Board of Directors.
Mr. Metge possesses an outstanding depth of experience in handling corporate compliance, transactional, litigation and general business matters. Prior to joining Catalyst Health Solutions, Mr. Metge was a partner in the law firm of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., a multi-disciplinary law firm based in Washington, DC. At Mintz Levin, Mr. Metge represented a wide range of companies in various industries including telecommunications, technology, biotechnology, consumer products, and venture capital in complex business transactions and antitrust matters, ultimately focusing on public company compliance matters and technology sourcing agreements.
An Illinois native, Mr. Metge holds a B.A. in Public Policy from Duke University, Magna Cum Laude, a J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law, and is a nationally ranked tri-athlete.