Thread regarding CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield layoffs

$3.5 MILLION … IT spent this on an org design with Deloitte. And 6 months into it, they flushed it. I do recall a certain IT VP calling this out as a bad idea.

btw….how all that transformation coming? Culture getting in the way?

At this point I'm thinking can things get any worse? Stick it out?

He gone!!!!

CF was a sh-t show before DK, it will be a sh-t show after DK. He did what he was tasked to do, although in a hot mess fashion. Was forced to hire people, Rick J was ”recommended” by CEO, some role were value hired because, well CF pays sh-t, and I feel bad for these people - put into a losing situation.

Now, do I feel bad for DK, no. I feel bad for the CF members and employer customers who expect CF to run a smooth and cost effective operation. PMPM is through the roof. BUT let’s buy losing businesses…And keep making investments in shiny objects.

To those who have “navigated” the twists and turns, you know who they are, those VPs in IT and the business who somehow keep their jobs. I mean sh-t, if there was ever a place to park useless people, CF is it.

So beat up on DK, sure. I’m out of tissues, but CF was a mess before and will be afterward.

Call to action: if you’re still there and competent and have had smoke blown up your a-s … pack up and leave. They don’t love you. You’re in a toxic relationship. Stop being abused.

Love all these posts! DK was a goof and clearly not the person for the job, but everyone acts like everything was perfect before he arrived. CF IT was a sh!t show long before DK’s arrival.

A bunch of over-tenured under skilled folks running too many overpriced/obsolete systems - all for twice the PMPM of the nearest competitor. Glad I didn't waste too much time there….

Not to mention when he called the help desk the helpless desk in front of an entire division. Our incompetent HR and CEO allowed him to continue conducting himself in such an awful manner, so a new CIO unfortunately isn’t the light at the end of the tunnel.

I met DK in person in Nov '18 shortly after he was hired, at a Military Veterans ARG event at Canton HQ. After speaking with him for 15-20 mins (actually, more like him boasting about himself almost the entire time) my initial impression was that he's an arrogant S-B. Walked away thinking to myself at the time "if he conducts himself the same way when he runs IT, it'll won't be pretty." Sorry to say years later it all came true. Feel even sorrier for all the IT folks who had to put up with his cr*p for as long as they did. Literally millions of dollars wasted and many, many associates' careers at CF disrupted, or worse, due to one man's incompetence.

I understand that sometimes when people get promoted from within because they are liked rather than talented, that organizations end up with VPs, Sr. Dir., Dir. etc., that are collecting more pay than they are adding value. So sometimes you have to clear out the dead weight at the top, circa CF IT 2017. However, beyond that first layoff, everything DK did was disastrous. Here's my list of IT management failures:

1. Failing to understand the history and culture of CF. Convoluted systems are what they are because business largely dictated it, e.g. "let's outsource this function and just integrate with our new "partner," no matter how expensive or complex that might be. Rip it out and call it modernization. Right.
2. "I don't like training, I like consultants." Literal DK quote. But first he had to fire them, then rehire them at much higher cost, just to prove what exactly?
3. "Let me tell you about this project DVB!" Completely disrespectful of people who worked for him. This inspires loyalty how?
4. "Where I come from there's a PMO." Ok, we had a PMO, not perfect but did its job of counting the beans. Dismantle it, start over, spend more money. What did that achieve?
5. Bad hires. Unqualified hires. Hiring based on. . .charm? Good looks? You got me.
6. No clue how to organize people and align their skills to work. Did we get the right people on the bus? Did we get them in the right seat on the bus? Not even close.
7. Alienate the good middle managers that know how to do #6 so that they leave with all their institutional knowledge (and people).
8. Last but not least - very little to show for the three years of disruption. Seriously, please point to one CF system that has made life better for customers or associates? MS 365? VDI? New portal? Please enlighten me.

DK leaving: that writing was on the wall when Rose became his boss. His exit cannot happen quickly enough and is years overdue. Perhaps the worst executive leadership hire ever. All the McKinseys and Deloittes couldn’t cover his sorry a-s and he was eventually exposed. Hopefully no buyout or golden parachute.

His last day is 12/31/2021. Goodbye to an evil monster. Is there hope that BP will follow him out the door?

Good riddance to that loser. He would often comment about how he doesn’t stay places long - only a couple years. Someone else said it well as he was there to disrupt the IT department. He’s destroyed it and someone else will now have to clean up his mess. Wherever this clown ends up they are doomed don’t let the door hit you in the @ss

DK came in for one reason, to clean house and destroyed what Sandy Dilworth built!! Where’s Chet?!!

Got it right with incompetent Directors. Cannot understand how they make it in to these positions. SMH

Despite how any one feels about it with the fax attestation coming up tomorrow no doubt more people are gunna be gone. Perhaps not a whole lot but enough. Then it will be over for CF IT.

Good riddance!!!

IF IT IS TRUE

Bullet point he needs to add to his resume
👍Successfully wrecked the IT department
👍Successfully laid off 200 IT work force including SVP level senior Management
👍Successfully triggered IT brain drain and provided intelligent brains to other American Insurance and IT companies and provided at least 30 brains
👍Successfully given multi million contracts to big IT consulting companies for zero $ ROI
👍Successfully started to wreck the Prestigious Data Center
👍Demonstrated how to lead IT without leadership qualities

Yes it is true