Two Oakland University School of Business Administration graduates have created healthy careers as top executives at Blue Care Network, the largest health maintenance organization in Michigan.
While three years between graduation dates separate Sue Kluge, SBA Management ’79, senior vice president and chief financial officer, and Laurie Westfall, SBA Management ’76, senior vice president and chief operating officer, they are now only a few steps away from each other at their Southfield-based headquarters.
They are joined on a mission to promote health and peace of mind through high-quality health care and service.
“I’m doing my dream job now,” Westfall said. “This allows me to do what I do best by focusing on our customers and by leveraging people, processes and technology to offer cost-effective solutions and products.”
Westfall's OU background helped her form an immediate connection with Kluge when interviewing with BCN three years ago. Kluge joined the company in 1998. “I remember sharing our fondness for our student years at OU,” Westfall added. Both credit John E. Tower, professor emeritus and former SBA assistant dean, for helping shape who they are today.
“He created a great learning environment and was always very encouraging,” Westfall said, who often dropped by his office for advice. “He helped me hone a vision for what I wanted to do.”
“It’s always nice to hear that you touched someone’s life,” Tower says. “I'm very pleased that they remain loyal to OU.”
Kluge felt one of the most valuable lessons she picked up at Oakland was working on group case studies. “Working on a team helps to translate how you really work day to day. You have to perform in different roles and work with individuals who have different talents and skill sets,” she said.
Living in the residence halls was also an education itself. Kluge said it exposed her to many diverse individuals with different upbringings, backgrounds and personalities that helped prepare her for the workplace.
“You work with all types of people, and you need to be willing to learn from others,” she said.
As a thank-you for their education, both are active in the Oakland community. Kluge is a member of the SBA’s Accounting and Finance Advisory Board and the OU Alumni Association. Several times, Kluge has presented to the accounting and finance student associations.
Westfall spoke at OU’s Executive MBA (EMBA) graduation in April. She may have been speaking to her future colleagues, too.
The EMBA program is the only one in Michigan to offer two different but complementary concentrations in health care management and information systems leadership.
Neither Westfall nor Kluge intended a career in health care. Westfall cut her business teeth at an architectural firm, a position she found through OU’s Career Services. From there, she joined Uniroyal Tire Co., then the telecommunications industry, including MCI, where she started a department from scratch. She later submerged herself in the automotive marketing industry, and in the late 90s she met a consultant who helped her transition her years of operational skills and customer service to health care. She joined Care Choices HMO where she quickly rose to chief operating officer. She joined BCN in 2006.
Westfall and her husband, John, met at OU during her last semester. Their daughter, Brittney, is now following in their footsteps as an OU undergraduate.
Kluge had hopes of being a high school Spanish teacher. After her sophomore year, she helped her church start a day care/nursery school. She handled the accounting and dealt with the government to obtain nonprofit status.
“I discovered I had an aptitude for accounting and finance,” she explains.
After graduation, a neighbor tipped her off about an opening in the accounting department at Henry Ford Hospital in Troy, where she worked until 1985. After that, she climbed the corporate ladder at SelectCare Inc. for 13 years, and then joined BCN.
“Being a CFO was a wonderful dream and it came true,” Kluge said. “When you talk about achieving your dream job, a lot of it has to do with leveraging your strengths, having fun with what you do and being passionate about contributing and having an influence.”
For more information about Oakland's SBA programs,
visit the website.
