It’s About Time: Charlie Baker To Run For Governor

Now things are starting to get interesting!

Republican Charlie Baker, the well-financed CEO of Harvard Pilgrim, has jumped into a quickly swelling 2010 gubernatorial race only two days after Treasurer Tim Cahill said he decided to switch political parties.

Baker, who is largely unknown to voters throughout the state, will leave Harvard Pilgrim on July 17 and set up a political committee by July 28, according to a source close to Baker.

“I am either the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim – or I’m building a campaign organization. I cannot do both,” Baker said in a statement.

Baker, who worked for former governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, will face off against Christy Mihos, another self-funded Republican who announced he is running earlier this year, and Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick. Cahill, who admitted his change in parties was a jump closer to running, said he will make his final decison in September.

Baker’s decision had nothing to do with Cahill’s announcement this week, according to the source.

I don’t believe for one second that it has nothing to do with Cahill’s announcement. Nonetheless, time to gear up for a Republican Primary and watch the Democrats shoot themselves in the foot.

UPDATE: Here’s the press release from Harvard Pilgrim:

CHARLES D. BAKER TO LEAVE AS CEO OF HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE
BRUCE BULLEN NAMED AS INTERIM CEO OF HEALTH PLAN

(Wellesley) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Charles D. Baker will leave the company to put together a statewide electoral campaign. Bruce Bullen, the current Chief Operating Officer, was named the Interim CEO by the Harvard Pilgrim Board of Directors.

“For the past ten years, I’ve had the unique and wonderful opportunity to serve as the CEO of this outstanding organization. Over that period of time, Harvard Pilgrim has had a pretty great ride: six straight years of membership growth and nine years of positive financial performance under very difficult and very competitive circumstances,” said Charles D. Baker. “Harvard Pilgrim is in great shape – with a great team, a great strategy and a great future. Leaving the company is not an easy decision for me but there is no middle ground. I am either the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim – or I’m building a campaign organization. I cannot do both.”

Chairman of the Harvard Pilgrim Board of Directors, Barry Shermin, praised Baker for his leadership of the company stating, “Charlie Baker is an extraordinary leader whose accomplishments during his tenure at Harvard Pilgrim are unparalleled. Charlie and his leadership team have put us in a position of great strength today and we will continue to be the best health plan around.”

Baker will remain at Harvard Pilgrim through July 17th and Bullen will become Interim CEO at that time. Before becoming Harvard Pilgrim’s COO ten years ago, Bullen was the Commissioner of the Division of Medical Assistance, an independent state agency, responsible for the MassHealth (Medicaid) program. Bullen holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University and an undergraduate degree from Williams College.

“Charlie and I have put together a strong management team and a sound business plan. Our customers, provider partners and members will continue to receive the same great service they have received for the past ten years,” said Bruce Bullen. “Harvard Pilgrim’s future is bright. We just added 25,000 more members this month bringing our current membership to more than 1,080,000. Our membership gain tells us that the market is responding to our strategy of offering employers in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire a variety of quality benefit options delivered with top-notch service.”

Harvard Pilgrim has been named the best plan in the country for four straight years by the U.S. News & World Report’s annual national survey of health plan performance and was recently identified as having the highest member satisfaction among commercial health plans in the New England Region in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 National Health Insurance Plan Study*.

For the seventh year in a row, The Boston Business Journal named Harvard Pilgrim one of the Best Places to Work in Massachusetts in its annual regional awards program. The honor recognizes the company’s achievements in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working conditions and company culture.

Harvard Pilgrim is a not-for-profit health plan that provides a variety of health benefit options and funding arrangements to more than one million members in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. For more information, please visit www.harvardpilgrim.org.

-30-

Aaron Margolis is a life long resident of the Bay State, and works at an architectural firm north of Boston. Aaron has a Master of Architecture Degree from Boston Architectural College and is currently in the process of becoming of a Registered Architect.