Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Announces Two Appointees to Board of Trustees

Allianz Life President and CEO Jasmine Jirele and Agiliti CFO Jim Pekarek join governance of state's leading health insurer

EAGAN, Minn., Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced the appointments of Jasmine Jirele and Jim Pekarek to its Board of Trustees. Jirele is the president and CEO of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life), a leading provider of fixed index annuities, registered index-linked annuities and fixed index universal life insurance and part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry. Pekarek is the executive vice president and chief financial officer at Agiliti, a Minneapolis-based medical equipment and health care company.  

"Our board of directors is well-positioned to enable our strategic priorities with the addition of these two leaders, both of whom are well known and widely respected for their business acumen and community service," said Dana Erickson, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "Jasmine and Jim bring exceptional skills and experience to our governance structure, with a shared commitment for advancing the health and well-being of all through our non-for-profit mission."  

Jasmine Jirele has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including strategy, marketing, product and operations.

Prior to becoming president and CEO of Allianz Life in 2021, Jirele led the company's growth and marketing team, overseeing initiatives related to product, marketing, digital, and new markets. She also has previous experience as an executive vice president at Wells Fargo.

Jirele has an MBA from Hamline University and a bachelor's degree in business and journalism from the University of St. Thomas. She sits on boards and committees for several industry and nonprofit organizations, including the American Council of Life Insurers, LIMRA/LOMA Global, Minnesota Business Partnership, University of St. Thomas' Opus College of Business, YMCA of the North, and Washburn Center for Children.

Jim Pekarek is the executive vice president and chief financial officer at Agiliti, a Minneapolis-based company focused on helping health care organizations from across the country optimize their medical equipment needs. In his role, Pekarek is responsible for leading the financial functions of the company, along with leading work supporting mergers and acquisitions and establishing formal plans for strategic financial planning, technology and corporate governance.

Prior to joining Agiliti, Pekarek was the chief financial officer for Cornerstone Brands, a home and apparel lifestyle retailer. Pekarek has also held executive leadership positions with The Spiegel Group, Montgomery Ward, Inc., Kraft Foodservice and Outboard Marine Corporation.

Pekarek holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Indiana University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

For nearly 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. Our 2.7 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota