James G. Carlson
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
James G. Carlson has enjoyed a distinguished career with more than 30 years of experience in health insurance. In September 2007, he became the second chief executive officer in Amerigroup’s 18-year history, having previously served as the Company’s president and chief operating officer, a position he held since 2003. Under his leadership, Amerigroup has more than doubled the number of state Medicaid programs it serves, while revenues have grown from $1.6 billion in 2003 to $6.3 billion in 2011, positioning the Company in the Fortune 500. Mr. Carlson has strengthened the Company’s operational and medical management processes and has recruited experienced executives to help expand the business, securing Amerigroup’s position as one of the leading voices on behalf of health care for the financially vulnerable, seniors and people with disabilities.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Carlson was an executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and president of its UnitedHealthcare business unit, which served more than 10 million members in HMO and PPO plans nationwide. Mr. Carlson is also the founder of HealthSpring, a physician group practice management company, and co-founder of Workscape, a software company that later was acquired by ADP. He began his career with the Prudential Insurance Company of America, serving as president of Western Group Operations. At Prudential, he was responsible for all employee benefit products for that region, as well as the company’s launch of managed care and the formation of health plans in California, Florida and New Jersey.
Mr. Carlson attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and graduated from Rider University in New Jersey. He serves on the boards of the National Kidney Foundation, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, as well as Morningside College, the Health Sector Advisory Council for the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council.