Chamber University

Greater Kokomo Chamber University’s next topic features healthcare reform and how it will affect businesses
     Jim Alender, president and CEO of Howard Regional Health System, and Pierre Fox, vice president of employee benefits for Regions Insurance Group, will discuss healthcare reform and how it will affect medical care and large and small businesses May 26 at Inventrek Technology Park, 700 E. Firmin St.    

     Healthcare reform is the second of seven Greater Kokomo Chamber University topics that will be presented during the lunch hour the last Thursday of each month at Inventrek Technology Park. The Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance Chamber of Commerce is working with Ivy Tech Community College, Kokomo, on the Chamber U series that feature experts discussing topics of interest each month through October.
      Chamber University’s healthcare topic will be 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lunch will be provided.  Alliance stakeholders in five of the six investment levels (President’s Diamond Circle, President’s Club, Executive, Visionary, and Innovator) will receive free tickets; others will be charged $25.
     All May attendees must pre-register by May 23 either online by going to www.greaterkokomo.com, clicking Chamber of Commerce, Events, and Chamber University, or by telephoning the Chamber at (765) 457-5301.
     Alender will talk about what healthcare reform means to businesses and how it will build a healthier workforce through quality and wellness initiatives.
     Alender became Howard Regional’s president and CEO in 1997.  He concurrently serves as chairman of the Boards of Managers of Howard Regional Health System West Campus Specialty Hospital, LLC; the Imaging Center of North Central Indiana; Howard Community Hospital Indiana Surgery Center, LLC; and the Kokomo Sports Center, LLC.   Prior to his employment with Howard Regional Health System, Alender was president of KeyBank NA, Kokomo District; president of Society National Bank-Central Indiana; and president and CEO of Ameritrust Bank, Central Indiana.   He served in several other executive positions in the banking industry during his 23-year career in commercial banking.
     Fox will discuss health-care reform from an employer perspective—what you need to know in the current reform environment.  The forum will provide a general discussion on how recent legislative changes, mandated health benefit requirements, and penalties for non compliance will impact local businesses.
Fox has more than 20 years experience in the health insurance industry. He advises area employers on their employee benefit plans.  He is a graduate of DePauw University and has an MBA from Butler University.
      Future Chamber University topics include Conducting Effective Meetings (June 23), Outsmart Your Smart Phone (July 28), Small Business Best Practices (Aug. 25), Conflict Management (Sept. 22), and Saving Money by Energy Auditing (Oct. 27).