HealthMarkets Management Team
Kenneth J. Fasola
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth J. Fasola serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthMarkets, Inc. He also serves as a Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Companysm, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennesseesm (based in Texas) and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company®.
Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Mr. Fasola was responsible for overseeing Humana’s individual major medical, specialty and supplemental insurance operations. Throughout his 12 years with Humana, Mr. Fasola held several executive and senior level management positions including Chief Operations Officer of Market Operations, Senior Vice President for the Office of the Chairman, and Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development.
While with UnitedHealth Group, Mr. Fasola served as Chief Executive Officer of Secure Horizons, the nation's largest Medicare Advantage insurer, CEO of UnitedHealth Group's Central Region, and President of United Healthcare Lines of Business. Mr. Fasola began his insurance career in sales with Blue Cross of Central Ohio before moving to Community Mutual Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio where he served in sales management positions.
Mr. Fasola serves on the boards of Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College and Connextions, Inc., a technology-based business process outsourcing firm. He holds a BS in Health Planning and Administration from Pennsylvania State University.
Susan E. Dew
Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel
Susan E. Dew currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel of HealthMarkets, Inc. She also serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee (based in Texas) and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company.
Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Ms. Dew was director of compliance for UniCare Life & Health Insurance Company and four affiliated companies, all subsidiaries of WellPoint, Inc. Prior to that, Ms. Dew was Vice President & General Counsel for the Illinois Insurance Exchange. Ms. Dew was also an associate at the Chicago law firm of Lord, Bissell & Liddell (formerly Lord, Bissell & Brook). Ms. Dew began her career as staff attorney with the Illinois Department of Insurance. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Derrick A. Duke
Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Insurance Operating Officer
Derrick A. Duke joined HealthMarkets, Inc. in May 2004 and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Insurance Operating Officer. Additionally, he serves as Director, Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company. He also serves as a Director, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee (based in Texas).
Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Mr. Duke served as Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for a privately held insurance company for 15 years. Mr. Duke received his MBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Arlington and his B.B.A. in Finance from Hardin Simmons University. In addition, Mr. Duke is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has served as an adjunct professor at Dallas Baptist University and a guest lecturer at The University of Texas at Arlington.
M. Franklin 'Frank' Jackson
Senior Vice President of Operations and Technology
Franklin 'Frank' Jackson joined HealthMarkets as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in May 2007 and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and Technology. Mr. Jackson also serves as a Director and Senior Vice President of Operations and Technology of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee (based in Texas) and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company.
Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Mr. Jackson served as Chief Information Officer of Private Healthcare Systems, a leading national health care and cost management firm. He served as Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and served as Vice President of Technology and Data Center Operations. Prior to Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mr. Jackson was the Chief Information Officer at Kaiser Permanente of North Carolina.
Mr. Jackson earned his MBA from the University of Missouri, St. Louis and holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Accounting from the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. He has served as Corporate Chairman for United Way as well as a member of Managed Care Executive Group and the American Association of Preferred Provider Organization (AAPPO).
K. Alec Mahmood
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
K. Alec Mahmood joined HealthMarkets, Inc. as Senior Vice President of Budget, Planning and Analysis in June 2007. Mr. Mahmood currently serves as a Director, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee (based in Texas) and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company.
Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Mr. Mahmood served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Medicaid Division (Healthcare USA) and General Manager, Medicare Special Needs Plans Division for Coventry Health Care, Inc. Mr. Mahmood served as Vice President of Financial Operations of Ardent Health Services, from 2003 to 2005. Prior to Ardent, Mr. Mahmood was at Health Net Inc. from 1999 - 2003 and served as Chief Financial Officer of Health Net's Arizona Division and of its behavioral health subsidiary, MHN.
Mr. Mahmood earned his Master's of Health Administration from the University of Southern California, and earned a B.A. in History from Creighton University.
Connie Palacios
Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer
Connie Palacios currently serves as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of HealthMarkets, Inc. and its subsidiaries including The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee (based in Texas) and The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company. Ms. Palacios joined the Company in 1993 as Assistant Controller and has served in various leadership positions. Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Ms. Palacios was associated with Coopers & Lybrand.
Ms. Palacios received her B.B.A. from UT-Pan American University. She is a Certified Public Accountant for Texas and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.