Blues leader named among Metro Detroit’s 10 most powerful women in business

Sue Barkell, senior vice president of Health Care Value

In July, dbusiness, a Detroit business journal, named Sue Barkell as one of Metro Detroit’s 10 most powerful women in business. Barkell is the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan senior vice president of Health Care Value and is responsible for many of the company’s health care provider areas, including provider relations, hospital contracting and pharmacy.

Readers were asked to nominate female business leaders in the five-county metro region whom they believed were “moving their respective companies, industries and communities forward.” Other honorees included Nancy Schlichting, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System; Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan; and Florine Mark, chairman, CEO and president, the Weight Watchers Group Inc.

The article noted Barkell’s “recipe for success centers on collaboration” and quotes her as saying, “Our principles of operation include a broad provider network that works collaboratively to provide input as we develop programs and policies. This ultimately allows us to develop better products and have more satisfied providers. In turn, customers experience better outcomes.”