Joy Wheeler is the President of FirstGuard Health Plan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swope Community Enterprises in Kansas City, Missouri. FirstGuard became operational in January 1997, in response to the privatization of health coverage for the Missouri Medicaid population. Since that time, FirstGuard has expanded and is licensed in Kansas and Missouri and markets its healthcare delivery system in both states.

Ms. Wheeler is the senior executive responsible for initial development and execution of the FirstGuard Health Plan, which has had significant growth and success:

• Launched operations to serve Missouri Managed Care Medicaid program in 1997.
• Launched managed care commercial product for Kansas City employers in 1998.
• Launched Missouri Children’s Uninsured Managed Care Program in 1998.
• Launched Point of Service Product in 1999.
• Completed acquisition of state-wide Kansas HMO in May, 1999. This acquisition makes FirstGuard Health Plan the only Medicaid HMO in Kansas and also serves Kansas Uninsured Children.
• FirstGuard Health Plan is highly involved in community activities. It has employed individuals from the area’s Welfare to Work programs and successfully pursues grassroots efforts at multiple levels in its marketing and outreach strategy.
• Established an employee Ambassador Team to lead empowerment through out the organization.

In addition, Ms. Wheeler led FirstGuard Health Plan through the acquisition of the assets of Horizon Health Plan of Topeka, Kansas in 1999. This acquisition doubled FirstGuard’s membership and provided FirstGuard with the opportunity to be an insurer for Kansas Medicaid recipients. FirstGuard’s current membership exceeds 135,000 lives with over $230 million in annual revenue.

FirstGuard has been profitable since start-up and is recognized for caring, compassionate service and ethical business practices.

Joy began her healthcare career as a registered nurse and has a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She has been working in managed care and building delivery systems over the last 25 years. She worked for CIGNA Corporation and was a HealthCare Consultant for Towers Perrin Healthsystems Consulting. Joy's passion for the underserved, need to give back to the community, and desire to create a compassionate, personalized healthcare system resulted in her current position with FirstGuard Health Plan. Joy's clinical training teamed with her managed care expertise affords her valuable insight into the current and future direction of healthcare. During her tenure, FirstGuard Health Plan has been recognized as a Greater Kansas City Top 10 Small Business for 2000 and 2001. Joy was selected as a 2000 Top 25 Women Who Mean Business recipient. Joy was selected as a regional finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June 2001. FirstGuard Health Plan was the recipient of the Small Business Ethics Award in September 2001.