Gary Thieman to receive COBI’s Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2017

Gary Thieman, who received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration, finance, from The University of Toledo College of Business Administration in 1971, will be the recipient of the College of Business and Innovation Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2017.

Gary Thieman

Mr. Thieman is the former Sr. Vice President of Sales and Customer Relations for Commercial Business at Medical Mutual of Ohio and the Senior Executive for the Company's northwestern Ohio region, headquartered in Toledo. He joined Medical Mutual in August 2010 after a 20-year consulting career with Findley Davies, Inc., a privately-held human resources consulting, actuarial and administrative services firm.

While at Findley Davies, he served on its Management Committee and Board of Directors.  In addition, he led the firm's National Health and Group Benefits Consulting practice and its business development and marketing efforts.

“Among my many consulting engagements, I am especially proud of the work performed for a local Fortune 500 company in the early 1990’s and beyond assisting in the design and implementation of its healthy lifestyle program, one of the first of its kind in the area and in the country,” he said.


Prior to joining Findley Davies, Thieman was an Executive Vice President with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kentucky responsible for sales, marketing, customer service and managed healthcare programs, including HMO Kentucky.  Before joining the Kentucky plan, he had a successful 13-year career with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Northwest Ohio.

Thieman has more than 40 years experience in the employee benefits field with a strong emphasis in health and group benefit programs.  His areas of special interest include strategic benefit planning, healthcare benefit plan design, work site wellness and health promotion programs, incentive structures to encourage employee engagement and outcomes measurement.

“I had some excellent and inspiring instructors and professors,” Mr. Thieman recalled. “If I had to choose one who made a difference for me, it would be Doug Austin, Chair of the Finance Department. His combination of  private and public sector banking experience and teaching style made a big difference for me while in school and also during my working career.”

 “My favorite UT memory was meeting Cheryl Meier, my future wife, in April, 1969 in the Carlson Library,” he said. “I had been dating one of Cheryl’s girlfriends whom I met during spring break 1969 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Cheryl joined us one day at our table in the library and I was immediately attracted to her. After that I saw her multiple times sitting on the hill between the Memorial Field House and Libbey Hall; I assumed she was waiting for me to walk by between classes. I finally asked her out on Saturday, May 24, 1969. In fact, we still celebrate our ‘first date anniversary’ on May 24 every year. It was on our second date on May 31, 1969 at the SAE Paddy Murphy party that I knew she was the one and we’ve been together ever since. We celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary on March 27, 2017.”

Among Mr. Thieman’s current and recent community/volunteer activities are serving on the University of Toledo Board of Trustees (2011 – 2017), including being Chair of the Clinical Affairs Committee; being interim executive director of the Toledo Public Schools Foundation (2016 – present); on the board of advisors of 417Grow, in Indianapolis; a member of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2007 – 2015) and Board Chair in 2009; Board of Directors of Compass Corporation for Recovery Services (2004 – 2010) and Board Chair in 2007 and 2008; YMCA/JCC Board of Directors (2009 – 2011); a past member of the 2013/2014 Toledo Public Schools Levy Committee and Finance Chair, and working as a volunteer on several United Way campaigns in Toledo.

He also enjoys playing golf, reading, boating at the family home in Michigan, driving his 1966 Corvette Stingray, and “most of all just hanging out with Cheryl. After a working career spanning 46 years with long hours and travel commitments, it’s great to just spend time hanging out with Cheryl and our family and friends.”

“Mr. Thieman’s highly successful career, extensive volunteer and community involvement, and leadership in the regional business arena make him the ideal business professional to receive this year’s Outstanding Alumnus Award,” noted Dr. Gary Insch, Dean of the UT College of Business and Innovation.  “We look forward to the official presentation of the award during UT’s Homecoming weekend celebration.”