Colorado State Archives

Executive Orders from the Administration of Governor Bill Owens 1999-2005

Press Office

May 2005

FOR RELEASE:
Friday, May 27, 2005

CONTACT:
Dan Hopkins 303-866-6324
Mark Salley 303-866-6323

OWENS APPOINTS CBMS DIRECTOR;JOHN WITWER TO OVERSEE OPERATION OF SYSTEM
Governor also appoints Steering Committee to implement recommendations
from Deloitte Consulting LLP assessment of CBMS
from Deloitte Consulting LLP assessment of CBMS
from Deloitte Consulting LLP assessment of CBMS

(DENVER) - Gov. Bill Owens today appointed Dr. John Witwer as Director of the Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS) responsible for the management, direction, planning and operation of the system.

"The Deloitte report calls for establishing a 'single voice' that is ultimately responsible for decision making and direction for CBMS. Dr. Witwer will be an effective and forceful manager who will assure that the CBMS system will reach its full potential," Owens said.

Owens also announced the formation of a nine-member CBMS Steering Committee responsible for implementing the recommendations contained in an assessment of the system conducted by Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Establishing the position of CBMS Director, who will be accountable for the overall control of CBMS, was one of the pivotal recommendations by Deloitte Consulting. The assessment also recommended establishing a Steering Committee to provide oversight.

"The Deloitte assessment confirms that, in their words, CBMS can become an effective tool for managing benefits. The report contains nearly 100 specific recommendations for achieving that goal. Some of those recommendations deal with the computer system itself while others involve operations at the state and county levels. Some recommendations can be adopted immediately and others will take some time. This assessment provides us with the necessary roadmap to solve the remaining problems and provide the best system possible," Owens said.

John Witwer is a retired physician who obtained his medical degree from Cornell University. He served as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969. After moving to Denver, he practiced at Children's Hospital in 1972-73. He was a Radiologist for 23 years at Lutheran Medical Center, retiring from there in 1996.

He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives where he has served since 1998. He is a past member of the Joint Budget Committee and presently serves on the House Appropriations and Finance Committees. Witwer will resign from the Legislature prior to the effective date of his appointment as CBMS director on July 1.

The Governor also issued an Executive Order creating the CBMS Steering Committee charged with reviewing the Deloitte recommendations, making additional recommendations and monitoring the continued implementation of CBMS.

Members of the Task Force include:

• Rep. Bernie Buescher, representing the Joint Budget Committee;
• Sen. Ron May, representing the Colorado Commission on Information Management;
• Jeanne Nicholson, chair of the Colorado Counties Inc.Human Services Steering Committee;
• Roxanne White, manager of the Denver Department of Human Services;
• Marva Livingston-Hammons, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services;
• Karen Reinertson, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care, Policy and Finance;
• Barbara Kirkmeyer, Colorado Department of Local Affairs;
• Henry Sobanet, director of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting;
• Chris Castilian, deputy chief-of-staff and director of the Governor's Office of Policy and Initiatives, who will chair the Task Force.

"The Task Force will help accomplish a key goal of the assessment which is to implement short-term solutions while simultaneously working toward long-term sustainability. Their guidance will make sure that we stay on track," Owens said.

The Governor called for the third-party independent assessment of CBMS. The selection of Deloitte Consulting to conduct the assessment was made by the Office of Information Technology.

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