Mel Blackwood works with community and business leaders, health-care providers and other health-care organizations with the goal to improve customer satisfaction and control the cost of health care. Prior to becoming a regional executive, Blackwood served as a sales representative, account executive, regional sales manager, and director of marketing for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. As director of marketing, Blackwood was responsible for marketing, product growth and development of the marketing team. Blackwood also spends a considerable amount of time consulting with employers concerning their health-care strategy for the future. Blackwood received a business management degree from the University of Central Arkansas where he also was a four-year letterman on the UCA basketball team. Blackwood is a certified health consultant (CHC) and a chartered life underwriter (CLU), and in 2003 successfully completed Columbia University's Senior Executive Program.