Bob Heard is accountable for effectively directing management in the planning, operation and continuity of the connectivity between systems and infrastructure related to the enterprise’s data center, systems maintenance, security, telecommunications processes and Web services. Heard joined Arkansas Blue Cross in 1980 as a programmer in Medicare Part B Systems. In 1989, he was named manager of Medicare Part B Systems and Medicare Part A Systems manager in 1990, before becoming director of Government Programs consisting of Medicare Part A and Part B and the Federal Employee Program Systems. A native of Newport, Ark., Heard received his bachelor’s degree in business data processing from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and is a graduate of the executive education program at the University of Michigan.