On Feb. 9, Kim Horn, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., was sworn in as the 2018 chair of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
The board focuses on regional issues, such as transportation, emergency preparedness, workforce, and sustainability. KPMAS has been a longtime presenting sponsor of the board’s annual meeting, which celebrates the accomplishments of the previous year and sets an agenda for the current year.
In front of a packed crowd at this year’s annual meeting, Kim outlined a progressive vision for 2018. As board chair, her “number one priority” is tackling the pervasive problems with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system. While she acknowledged that Metro’s issues have “continued for far too long,” Kim struck a positive note, saying that “we are closer than ever before in solving this issue.”
The board is part of the new Metro Now coalition, which includes other regional leaders from the business, non-profit, and advocacy communities. The coalition has come together to ensure that action is taken to put Metro on a safe, smart, and sustainable path forward in 2018 and beyond. Much of Kim’s work with the Board will focus on these efforts.
A reliable transit system is not only crucial for area residents, but, as Kim noted, it’s also a key deciding factor in major employers such as Amazon deciding to locate in the area. And, of course, Metro access is crucial to KPMAS’ growing membership to ensure our members have reliable transportation and access to the high-quality care and exceptional service we provide.
Another priority for Kim is to foster a more-inclusive Board of Trade, and she pledged her support for having the board’s membership better reflect the changing demographics of our area. “We must continually evolve the brand of this organization to attract business women and men from all fields, including defense contractors, government contractors, entrepreneurs, and the like,” she said.
Challenging meeting attendees to “think creatively and act decisively,” Kim asked members to work with her on three actions:
- Get involved. Be vocal as job creators.
- Commit as leaders.
- Collaborate with each other.
During the meeting, Kim graciously recognized the work of her predecessor, Terry McCallister, chairman and chief executive officer of WGL Holdings, Inc., and Washington Gas. She also introduced the board’s new CEO, Jack McDougle, president and founder of Blutre Strategies, a New York-based consulting firm.
Congratulations to Kim on her new role!
