CARLA MEHUS

The first woman to be named vice president of actuarial services for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Carla Mehus is remembered as an extraordinarily capable, caring insurance professional whose impact on the industry is remarkable because of her trademark blend of skill and compassion. A role model for women in the actuarial profession and a tireless advocate for her community, Mehus worked with Iowa regulators and legislators to model insurance market reform legislation, bringing Iowa to prominence as a leader in this area. She provided advice and counsel as a member of the Board of the Iowa Comprehensive Health Association, an organization whose mission is to provide insurance options to Iowans who cannot find coverage in the private insurance market. And she worked diligently with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association on several national task forces to study issues of significance to Blue Plans nationwide.

Loved and respected by her many colleagues, Carla Mehus embodied the best that insurance professionals can offer the industry and the world. She was an honest, hopeful, quiet hero who welcomed each day with a smile and never lost sight of the fact that despite its endless challenges and complexities, people are the heart and soul of the insurance industry.